


Love is Flower Like

by NotDeadYet16



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, F/M, Jacob Black's Sister, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-01-23 04:01:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 97,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21313846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotDeadYet16/pseuds/NotDeadYet16
Summary: Meadow Black is quiet, blunt, and protective of those closest to her. Nonsense isn't in her vocabulary. All her life, she was overlooked, but once life takes a turn, she refuses to remain voiceless.When the infamous, hot-headed Paul LaHote starts vying for her attention, she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to deal with his persistence and his determination to talk to her. Unfortunately, there are other forces at play, and she can't help but find herself falling for him.
Relationships: Paul Lahote/Original Character(s), Paul Lahote/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 195





	1. Chapter 1

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow Black sat in her English class bored out of her mind. All she really wanted to do was leave the classroom and eat lunch. Unfortunately, the time seemed to tick away slower than usual, making the already long class feel like an eternity. In truth, the class ran the normal forty minute length, but when you factored in the fact that Meadow's lunch period was right after her English class and the fact that she hadn't eaten since seven that morning, it felt prolonged. What she wouldn't give to be sitting at a lunch table eating the same greasy food the cafeteria served.

Meadow sighed and leaned her head in the palm of her hand. The boy sitting next to her made things worse by continuously bouncing his leg up and down. The movement caused the table to shake uncontrollably and produced a quiet banging sound. It irritated Meadow as she was trying to write down the notes she knew she would need for their test the following week. She stopped writing and looked down at the words on her paper, internally yelling at the boy for making it so ineligible. She gave up writing and dropped her pencil on the desk. Ionly need to get through five more minutes of this class_, _Meadow thought to herself.

Five minutes later, the bell rang to signal the end of the period. Meadow silently cheered and started packing up her stuff. She walked out the classroom and followed the large horde of hungry and excited students. She quickly made her way to the lunch line, getting there before the queue got too big. She grabbed a tray with the daily lunch already on it and customized her meal by snagging an apple and a chocolate cookie. She maneuvered herself through the teenager-filled cafeteria until she arrived at a table situated in the far corner of the room. She dropped her tray and sat as comfortably as she could on the small, hard, metal seat. She unzipped her backpack to grab the book she was carrying and started digging in to her food.

Meadow had lunch alone, like she usually did. It wasn't that she wasn't a likable person, in fact she tried to stay as polite as possible. The problem was that she was so quiet. She didn't like unnecessary talk and only talked when she wanted to. She didn't like talking to people unless she was comfortable around them, too. Because of these reasons, Meadow didn't make friends easily. No one wanted such a closed off person as their friend, so she tended to keep herself company.

Meadow got to the 40th page before her reading was interrupted by her younger brother and his goofy friends. Meadow sighed, placed a bookmark in the book, and slammed it shut dramatically. She stashed the book away and looked at the three young Sophomores, waiting for them to say something.

"Hey, Meadow," Embry greeted. Embry was the quieter one of the bunch, but he could still talk your ear off. He had a softer voice and was a bit more kind than the other two. He wore his hair like most of the teens on the Reservation did, long and in a ponytail, and was the lankier one of the group.

"Hi, Embry," Meadow greeted back.

"Meadow, what's up? Did you buy that cookie for me?" Quil asked as he tried to snatch the chocolate chip cookie from her tray. Quil was definitely the loudest out of the three boys and he didn't care that he was. He was a bit chubbier than the other two and wore his hair in a short haircut that accentuated his curls.

"I bought that cookie with my own quarter, Quil, so no, it is not for you," she answered as she intercepted his hand.

"Stop bothering my sister," Jacob said as he smacked Quil's head. Jacob was Meadow's younger and only brother. Unfortunately for him, he was born into a family already loaded with three daughters. Jacob had long hair like Embry, except Jacob's hair was straighter than Embry's. He was the most easygoing in the group and didn't get mad over much.

Jacob was the closest sibling Meadow had. He and Meadow were only two years apart, so they were in the same age range. Their older twin sisters, Rachel and Rebecca were way older than Jacob. They had distanced themselves once their mom died, so Jacob gravitated towards Meadow. He used to follow her everywhere and he used to mimic everything she did. It used to grate on Meadow's nerves, but she learned to accept it.

Ever since they met as kids, Jacob frequently brought Quil and Embry over to the house, so Meadow had to get used to them pretty quickly. They were the only two people that weren't family that got to see Meadow's 'livelier side'. At first, Meadow tried to hide it from them, seeing as how she wasn't all that comfortable with them, but because Jacob was so close to Meadow, she couldn't.

"What are you three doing here?" she asked them. It wasn't that abnormal for them to join her for lunch, but she knew they liked to sit by themselves so they could talk about things that would get them in trouble if Meadow overheard.

"Someone took our lunch table and we didn't feel like sitting with the any of these douchebags," Quil said. He popped a handful of fries in his mouth and chewed as loud as a vacuum.

"Watch your mouth, Q; the language and the chewing," Meadow warned. He gave her a half-hearted apologetic shrug and stopped chewing like his life depended on it.

"What were you reading when we got here?" Jacob asked.

"A book that you wouldn't be interested in. Next question?" Meadow said. Again, she really didn't like unnecessary talk, and what better way to accentuate that fact than by accompanying it with some sass. To other people, it may have seemed like Jacob was just trying to take some interest in what she was doing, but to Meadow, it was all small talk.

"Okay," Jacob said as he dragged the word out. He was used to his sister's nature, but he still couldn't understand why she acted the way she did.

"You really need to work on that, Meadow," Jacob told her.

"And you really need to work on letting your little crush go. Next."

Jacob looked down in embarrassment at the mention of his crush. He developed a strong liking to her when they were kids, and ever since, he couldn't get over it. Even when she started dating someone from her school in the neighboring town, he couldn't let go. He felt like she was perfect for him.

Meadow felt bad about mentioning Jacob's nonexistent love life, but didn't care to apologize. She knew he wasn't hurt by the comment, just embarrassed. Meadow didn't really care for Jacob's crush, Bella Swan. She was the Chief of Police's only child and had returned to Forks last year to live with her dad. Meadow used to play with her as a kid, too, but they didn't talk much because Bella was also a shy kid. She didn't really have an opinion on Bella, so she didn't hate her or love her.

"We're heading down to the beach after school. Wanna come?" Embry asked, saving his friend from anything else that might come his way.

"I'll come, but only to make sure you three don't waste your time and actually do your homework for once," Meadow said with a smug smile on her face. She watched as their excited faces dropped and let out a small laugh when they started grumbling like old men.

"C'mon, MeMe. Why do you have to always spoil our fun?" Quil complained.

"Because you never do your schoolwork," Meadow told him. "Maybe if you didn't goof off all the time I wouldn't have to watch over your failing grades."

All three of them clutched their chests at the same time and scrunched their faces in a wounded expression. Meadow rolled her eyes at their theatrics and their synchronized actions.

"You cut me deep, MeMe," Jake said. He shook his body with fake crying and wiped an imaginary tear from under his eye.

"Literally ouch," Embry said.

"Way to make us feel like trash," Quil said playfully.

"You are trash. Now get to class," Meadow said as the bell rang.

"Yeah, yeah." Jacob said as he shrugged her off. The three boys walked off together, chatting animatedly about their little beach trip, and Meadow walked off to her next class with a small pep to her step. She was just as excited as the boys were to visit the beach. She felt cooped up in the small school building and wanted nothing more than to bask in the ocean breeze. 


	2. 2

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow watched her brother and his friends push each other in the water. Luckily, it was a hotter than average day, so they didn't have to get out of the water as fast. La Push usually didn't get warmer than 60 degrees Fahrenheit, so it was a shock to everyone that it was in the 70s. It wasn't raining, either, so it was a beautiful day out.

Farther along the beach was a small group of boys kicking a soccer ball around. They were loud and noisy, but that didn't deter Meadow from basking in the sunlight and the warmth. She was sitting on the sand with a book in her hand. Her sandals were partially buried next to her and she had pulled her shoulder-length, black hair out of its ponytail. Unlike most of the girls on the Reservation, she didn't like to wear her hair long. It took too much time, money, effort, and product to take care of long hair, so she opted for a shorter cut.

She smiled as she watched Quil and Jacob pick Embry up and throw him in the water. It wasn't the safest thing to do, but she let them have their fun. She didn't want to be the fun police all the time, but she knew it was what they needed. Quil's dad, Quil Ateara IV, was a little too old to really watch over Quil, her own dad, Billy, wasn't physically able to watch over Jacob like he used to, and Embry didn't have a father in his life, so he viewed Billy as his own father. Meadow took it upon herself to be a parental figure, of sorts, to them. She wasn't too overbearing with them, but she did try her best to make sure they were on their best behavior.

"Don't hurt yourselves! I don't have time to take you to the hospital!" Meadow yelled out to them. The boys yelled, but otherwise gave no notice that they were paying attention to what Meadow was saying. She shook her head in affection and returned to reading her book. She was reading Lord of the Flies. It was interesting to her because she wondered what would happen if she were to be stranded on an island like that. Would she turn against her friends? Would she be able to survive with her personality? She figured she'd be the first person everyone turned against.

The wind picked up, blowing strands of her hair in her face. She brushed them away in time to see a soccer ball fly past her. She flinched back in shock and looked towards the small group of boys down the beach. They were looking her way and they seemed to argue with each other on who should grab the ball. With a small puff of breath, she stood up from her position on the beach and walked over to the ball. She picked it up and was about to throw it over to the group of boys when she unexpectedly bumped into someone.

Her hand accidentally brushed against a warm, bare chest and she instantly recoiled it. Her cheeks warmed and she knew if she was looking in the mirror her face would have a soft red tint to it. The man or boy or whoever was standing too far in her personal space, so she took a step back. She lifted her head and made eye contact with the stranger.

Meadow instantly recognized the male in front of her and her blush intensified. The man had beautiful, russet skin and his black, inky hair was cropped short on his head. He had to be at least six feet tall, allowing him to slightly tower over Meadow's 5 foot 7 inch frame. He was shirtless, flaunting his muscles, and only wore a pair of shorts that cut off just short of his knees. The best part about him was his eyes. They were a very dark brown color and they held an intensity that had never been directed at her before.

It was Paul LaHote, the infamous, temperamental school player. Everyone knew that he slept around with just about any girl, and he had the patience the size of a pea. He never bullied anyone or went out of his way to pick on someone, but he wasn't the nicest person around. Ever since he chopped off his hair and started following a boy named Sam, though, he toned it down. In fact, Meadow was sure he hadn't been with anyone since then. She wanted to gasp out loud due to the way he looked at her, but she refrained from doing so. She got lost in the dark pools of his eyes and she felt like she couldn't swim out of them. She was drowning in his gaze.

Once upon a time, Meadow had a crush on Paul. He was good-looking and he had an aura around him that made him even more attractive. He seemed to be a pretty easy going guy despite his temper and he was always smiling. He laid his emotions, for the most part, out on his sleeves and wasn't afraid to tell people how he felt. It was something she was envious of. She shut her fascination with him down real quick, though, when the rumors about him sleeping with people started circling the school. Meadow didn't want to seem like another one of Paul's hookups, and she wasn't one for catching anything.

She hoped that bumping in to him wasn't going to spark her crush up again. The last thing she needed was to waste her time at school admiring him from afar. Although, she wouldn't really have the chance seeing as how, recently, Paul had been skipping school. She also didn't want Jacob to nag her about her feelings. He was always being protective of her and it was one of the most annoying things in her eyes.

Meadow looked down as she remembered the ball was still in her hand.

"Here," she said quietly. She dropped the ball and watched as Paul caught it without letting go of her eyes. She walked back over to her spot and sat down next to her sandals. She kept her head down as he passed, feeling his eyes on her. Meadow looked over at Jacob and his friends and saw that they were staring at Paul. She sighed and slumped. She knew they were going to ask about her encounter with Paul when they got the chance, and she really didn't feel like explaining anything to them.

Meadow glanced down the beach at Paul and saw that he was goofing around with his friends again. She smiled unconsciously at their antics and almost let out a laugh when one of them lost their balance and fell in the sand. Seeming to feel eyes on him, Paul turned his head and met Meadow's stare. Instead of backing down, Meadow kept eye contact with him. Seeing the smile on her face, Paul smirked and waved. Meadow finally turned her head and stared out at the sea. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like the dynamics of her and Paul's nonexistent relationship was going to change.

Meadow noticed that the sky was darkening and her pantless legs were getting cold. She stood up and brushed the sand from her body. She scooped up her sandals and made her way down the shore until she was standing by Jacob, Quil, and Embry. She pushed Jacob, causing him to lose his balance and fall in the water. Meadow laughed as Jacob's wet form stood up and scowled at her.

"It's time to go," she informed them.

"C'mon, MeMe. Just a few more minutes," Quil begged.

"It's getting dark and you three still need to do your homework."

"How about you do our homework for us and we'll...,"Quil trailed off as he tried to think of something.

"We'll bake you a cake!" Embry exclaimed. Meadow snorted and laughed.

"I wouldn't even trust you with making my cereal," Meadow said through peals of laughter. When her laughter subsided, she pinched all three of them and gestured for them to walk to the car. Reluctantly, they followed her.

When they got home, Meadow's dad, Billy Black, was in the living room watching TV. Meadow dropped her stuff off in her room and then greeted her dad with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Billy Black was the wisest person she had the pleasure to grow up around. He wore his hair long and straight, like Jacob, and a cowboy hat always seemed to adorn his head. He had a smile that could ease anyone's pain and a heart that could cure diseases. He was a constant in her life, and for that she was grateful.

"Hi, daddy," she greeted.

"How is my beautiful meadow doing today?" he asked her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"As good as I can be watching these three dumb-dumbs," she said. Billy laughed and patted her hand that was laying on his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," Jacob said, "We'll be in the garage doing homework."

"I'll be in in a little bit to check on you," Meadow warned as they trampled out of the house.

"Thank you for watching over them, Meadow," her dad said. "I know it isn't always easy keeping them in check, but I appreciate it."

Meadow smiled warmly and said, "Of course, dad. I'm gonna get started on dinner."

She left her dad in the living room and entered the kitchen. She sifted through the cupboards and the fridge until she decided to make spaghetti for dinner. After she got the water to boil, she put the noodles in and started on the meatballs. After she formed them, she popped them in the oven to bake. While she waited on the noodles and the meatballs to be done, she did her own homework. All she really had to do was read a section of Hamlet and analyze it.

She finished her readings by the time everything was ready. She made her dad a plate first and gave it to him. Then, Meadow made plates for the three dorks in the garage and went outside to deliver them. When they saw her with plates in her hands, their eyes lit up.

"Thanks, MeMe," Jacob said as he quickly took a plate out of her hands. He immediately started scarfing the food down, causing sauce to slip down his face. Meadow watched on in amusement.

Quil and Embry took a plate, too, and settled down next to Jacob. Their notebooks and textbooks were scattered all around them, some pages more empty than others.

"How far along are you?" Meadow asked as she gestured towards their homework.

"Almost done," Jacob said with a mouth full of food.

"Sure you are," she said with a roll of her eyes. "And don't talk with your mouth full. You look like an animal," she reprimanded him.

Jacob swallowed his food and gave her an accusatory look.

"How about we stop talking about our faults," Jacob said as he gestured to him and his friends, "and start talking about you."

Meadow gave him a look of incredulity and pursed her lips.

"What about me?" she asked.

"You were talking to Paul Lahote at the beach today," Embry explained.

"All I did was give him his ball back."

"Yeah," Quil said, "but not before ogling him."

"I wasn't-"

"Don't deny it. We all saw it," Jacob stated.

"Look," Meadow said aggressively.

"No, you look," Jacob said as he stood up. "You don't need to be talking to him. He's bad news, Meadow."

"I know that, Jacob. Drop it," she said icily. She didn't need him telling her what to do. He needs to stay in his place, Meadow thought.

"Good," Jacob grumbled. He settled back on the ground and continued eating his food.

Meadow walked out of the garage and back into the house to eat, herself. After she was done eating, she entered her room and fell on her gray bed. She sighed and turned to her side. There is no way I am getting involved with Paul Lahote, she thought. But just as the thought crossed her mind, the thought of Paul followed. Meadow groaned as she realized that, as fast as a finger snapped, she liked Paul again.


	3. 3

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow rushed down the hallway and into her Math class with seconds to spare. She had to take her dad to a doctor's appointment during her lunch period since Charlie, her dad's best friend and Chief of Police, was busy. She huffed out a breath as quietly as she could and gave her teacher an apologetic smile after she gave Meadow a small glare. Meadow shrunk slightly in her chair and quickly opened her book bag to retrieve her notebook and a pencil. 

Meadow could have easily skipped the rest of the day; her dad didn't really mind because he knew how hard she worked. But Meadow didn't want to fall behind in any of her schoolwork. It wasn't like she had plans to go to college or anything like that, but she wanted to make sure she had a good grade point average when she graduated in case she changed her mind. All she wanted to do in life was watch over her dad and make sure he lived a long, healthy life, and if that meant she had to stay in La Push for the rest of her life, then so be it. Besides, she wasn't someone who loved to venture off into the world; new places made her anxious and too scared. 

Meadow copied the notes that were already on the board as fast as she could so that she could catch up to the rest of the class. She was writing so fast, that her pencil slipped out of her hand and rolled towards the person behind her. She silently cursed under her breath; that was her only pencil. She sat there, glaring at the blackboard in frustration. It wasn't entirely her fault that she didn't have a spare pencil. In fact, it was the kid's, who borrowed her backup pencil without giving it back, fault. I knew I shouldn't have let him borrow it, she thought to herself.

A tap on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts. Meadow turned in her seat to see who had tapped her and was shocked that it was Paul LaHote. She was taken aback as she hadn't realized he was in her class; she probably forgot or never noticed since he was never there. Paul had her pencil in his hand and had his arm outstretched towards her so she could grab it. He was staring at her so intensely that it almost made her blush. She grabbed the pencil out of his hand and quietly thanked him as she turned to face the front.

For the rest of the class period, she was on edge. She didn't know what it was about Paul, but ever since that day at the beach, she couldn't keep him off her mind; he was like one of those annoying, catchy songs that got stuck in your head. She made sure she was as still as she could be and she refused to make a sound, going as far as to hold back any sneezes that tried to leave her nose. Meadow was trying to make it seem like she wasn't even there, but she didn't think it was working. She could feel his stare on her back the whole class period, and it was stressing her out because no one had ever stared at her for that long.

Meadow breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the bell rang and quickly packed her bag so she could leave the classroom. She booked it out of the room in record time and raced down the hallway to her next class. She was out of breath by the time she sat in her seat for her Chemistry class. She had a sliver of time left before the bell rang and everyone shuffled into the classroom, so she took the time to control her breathing and calm herself down. 

When the bell rang, signalling that class was starting, she took out her notebook assigned for the class and her pencil and followed the teacher as she talked about the elements on the periodic table. Meadow zoned out a little and wandered back to the topic of Paul. She was still shocked that he was in her class and couldn't fathom how she never noticed. Of course, she usually entered a room with her chin down, hoping to avoid any and all gazes. It wasn't that she wasn't confident in herself, it was just that she didn't want to start a conversation with someone unintentionally. Making eye contact with someone was some sort of social signal for most people.

Meadow half-listened as the teacher droned on. Chemistry was not her favorite subject, mainly due to the fact that she didn't understand the chemical processes that happened. Besides, she was more of an English person; she could read all day and she liked to analyze the themes and motives of a book. She was okay at math, seeing as how it was mostly doing the same thing over and over again until you remembered how to do it, and history class was sometimes intriguing, but she hated science. 

She was thankful when the bell rang. She only had to get through art class before she could go home. When the last bell of the day rang through the building, Meadow got up from her stool and made her way to her locker so she could get the books she needed for her homework. After she got what she needed, she headed outside where her car was parked. Before she got in the car, someone yelled her name. Meadow looked back in time to see her brother and his two goofy friends making their way towards her.

"Hey, MeMe. We wanted to go to the diner. Can you take us?" Jake asked her. Meadow knew he was too lazy to walk across town to get there, and she also knew that if she didn't give them a ride, they would pester her until she did. With a sigh, she gestured for them to get in , causing them to shout in happiness. Meadow rolled her eyes and got in the car, starting it up and backing out of the parking lot.

"You coming in, too?" Quil asked when they got there. The three boys unbuckled their seat belts and jumped out of the car, not waiting for a response. Sighing in defeat, Meadow opened her own door and followed them in. The diner was a quaint place owned by Sue Clearwater, with booths for seating and funky wallpaper on all four walls. It wasn't a busy place. The only time it got really busy was around holidays. 

They took their seats at a booth in the back, waiting for the waitress to come take their order. A scowling Leah Clearwater, daughter of Sue, came to their table and took their drink orders, leaving them to decide what they want. 

"This is gonna be dinner, so get what you want. I'll get dad something, too," Meadow informed her brother.

"I'm gonna be hungry later," Jake complained.

"I'm not making food later," Meadow replied as she looked over the menu. Jake scoffed and muttered something under his breath. Quil threw his arm over his friend's shoulders and shook him a bit, telling him to cheer up. 

Leah returned with their drinks and demanded they tell her their orders. Meadow was put off by Leah's attitude. She knew the girl, went to school with her until she graduated a year ago. She wasn't always so mean and off-putting. Her fiance, Sam Uley, dumped her for her cousin, Emily Young, a year ago. It was a huge scandal and everyone gossiped about it. Some still talk about it. To say the least, Leah became one big ball of rude. To everyone. Still, she was supposed to be nicer to her customers. Meadow concluded that either she had seen Sam with her cousin earlier in the day, or Sam was in the diner. 

Meadow looked around and spotted his familiar face sitting with two other people. One was Jared Cameron, a guy who was in her grade at school. He was a cocky person and goofed around a lot. The other person was Paul. He was smiling as Jared talked to them. He was amazingly attractive when he smiled. Meadow sighed internally and almost forgot that there were other people sitting with her. She snapped out of her day dreaming when a hand entered her vision. She shook her head, ridding herself of her thoughts, and looked to see Jake, Quil, Embry, and Leah staring at her. Her cheeks blushed a bit and she quickly gave Leah her order. Leah stalked off with a scowl on her face.

"Who were you looking at?" Jake asked her once Leah left. His eyes were narrowed and his eyebrows were furrowed. 

"Got a crush?" Quil asked teasingly. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Quil, we already know who your crush is, "Embry said exasperatedly. "You talk about her every chance you get."

"Like Jake's any better!" Quil protested. Meadow rolled her eyes and hung her head. The three of them were truly idiots, she thought.

"So, who were you staring at?" Embry whispered. His mouth was near her ear and she held back a shudder at the sensation of it. It felt weird for air to blow in her ear. A low growl was heard throughout the diner, causing the few people in the establishment to look around. Meadow's head shot up and her eyes searched for the unnatural sound. She glanced at Paul and her heart almost stopped at the expression on his face. His eyes were furious and his nostrils were flaring. He was looking in her direction, but he wasn't looking at her. Meadow took a quick glance to her side and noticed how close Embry really was to her. 

She shrugged, answering his question so he would back down. He seemed to get the message, scooting away from her and entering his friends' conversation. Meadow looked back at Paul and met his gaze. He smirked at her and winked, causing her to look down in embarrassment. She wasn't used to guys flirting with her. She wasn't exactly a guy's first pick for anything. Seeing her crush be so brazen with her made her feel special. Still, she reminded herself that he was known to flirt with just about any girl. She shouldn't feel like he was only interested in her. A frown marred her features and her aura grew sullen.

Leah came back with their food and the boys dug into it, stuffing their mouths and talking at the same time. Meadow gave them a grossed out look before she started eating her own food. She ordered a burger with mushrooms on top and some fries. She dug into her fries first, savoring in the saltiness. She always did love french fries. They went well with almost any meal and were good no matter what shape they were in. As they ate, the boys talked about the test they took that day, how much homework they had, and what they should do after they left the diner. Meadow gave her input when it was necessary, but was otherwise quiet. She was at ease at the normalcy of it all. She wanted to talk about her day, too. Let someone listen to her for once. But she knew it was too out of character for her. She had been the quiet, reserved one since she was little, so that's the way she would stay.

Leah came back to the table, asking if they needed anything else. Meadow took this time to order food for her dad and order a helping of fries. Jake complained about not being able to get anything extra, to which Meadow responded by saying, "When you make your own money you can get more food."

"I'll be right back with your food and your bill," Leah grumbled out.

Meadow played with her fingers while she waited for Leah to come back for the last time. Suddenly, Embry nudged her. She looked at him curiously and he crooked his head to the side. She followed the gesture and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the Paul was standing next to her. She glanced up to him and met his intense gaze. She swallowed hard and stared at him, waiting for him to say something.

"What the hell do you want?" Jake asked from his seat. Meadow was surprised that he spoke before Paul did, but wasn't surprised that he spoke at all. Meadow sighed and thought that her brother really was too protective for his own good.

"I'm here to talk to Meadow," Paul said. She wondered how he knew her name at all, but figured it wasn't that hard to figure out. She was the chief's daughter after all.

"You don't get to speak to her. C'mon Meadow," he said as he ushered his friends out of their seats. "We're leaving."

Meadow stood up to let Embry out of the booth and then proceeded to sit back down. She watched Jake, Quil, and Embry walked a few steps before they realized she wasn't following them. Jacob glared at her and then at Paul. He marched over to Meadow, making Paul back up. He gripped her upper arm and pulled her out of her seat. She made a sound protest and struggled against him. Her efforts were futile as his grip tightened. She was pulled from his grasp, pulled back into a hard chest. She instantly knew it was Paul that had yanked her. Jake glowered at Paul and was about to say something when Meadow cut him off.

"Go wait in the car."

"Are you serious Meadow?!" Jake shouted. The scene alone had garnered enough attention, but now he had the whole diner looking their way. Nosy people.

"I still have to pay the bill and grab dad's food," was all she said.

"He's no good, Meadow. Don't waste your time on him," Embry said as he stepped in. Meadow looked at him with shock in her eyes. Embry was never one to confront others or even help Jacob confront others. He did have a point, though. Why waste my time on him when I could be doing something else, she thought. But then she remembered that she still had to wait for the bill and for the extra food, so she figured it wouldn't hurt to let him talk. What harm could it really do?

"I'm not having this conversation with you. Go," she said, effectively ending the conversation. Jacob stormed out with Quil hot on his heels. At least Quil had the decency to give her an apologetic look. Embry stood his ground. His teeth were grounded together and his body was shaking a bit. He looked angry. He was glaring at Paul, but turned his attention to Meadow. His shaking intensified as Paul laid a hand on her shoulder. Just then, Sam and Jared pushed him out of the through the diner and out the doors. Meadow was confused and was about to go after them until Paul's voice stopped her.

"Can we talk?"


	4. 4

** Third P.O.V. **

"Can we talk?" Paul asked Meadow. She searched his eyes, wondering why he wanted to talk to her in the first place. She questioned him with her eyes, and as he stared straight into her own, he seemed to understand. He sighed and gestured for her to sit down with him. She sat opposite him, placing her hands on the table in front of her. He mimicked her position, only it was more relaxed; she was tense from his approach, her back rigid and her eyes lowered towards her hands.

Meadow waited for Paul to say something first. It was pointless to ask him what he wanted when he was just going to tell her anyway. Why waste her energy trying to conjure up some courage to talk first? Besides, she wasn't sure the words would come out as smoothly as she'd like. Most likely air would catch in her throat and prevent her from finishing her sentence. She silently cursed whatever eternal being there was for allowing her to be so incompetent around males.

"Your name's Meadow, right? Meadow Black?" he asked her. She nodded her head and remained quiet. She focused most of her attention on calming her beating heart.

"I'm Paul. Lahote. We're in the same math class," he continued when she kept her mouth closed shut.

Meadow remained silent. He wasn't asking her any questions and was stating known information. She glanced up from her hands and looked at Paul, wondering if he was going to tell her what he wanted with her. She still had to get Jacob, Quil, and Embry home and needed to get dinner for her dad. She looked back down when she realized he wasn't going to say anything. She wondered when Leah was coming back with the bill and the rest of the food.

"Look," Paul started, "I know we don't talk and we're not exactly friends, but I want to get to know you."

"Why?" she asked. Why would he be interested in getting to know her? It was exactly as he said. They didn't talk. They weren't friends.

"Because you're -" Paul stopped himself and seemed to be searching for an answer. A different answer, Meadow deduced.

"Because you helped me. With the ball," he said lamely. His eyes moved about in a way that made it seem as though he was nervous. Meadow studied his behavior and realized that he was lying to her. She didn't know what to make of it. She didn't even know the guy, so she shouldn't be so upset that he lied to her, but for some reason she was.

"You're lying," she said confidently. It didn't surprise her that she said it valiantly; she didn't like liars. She stared in his eyes and saw a storm brewing in them. He was upset, she deduced, but maybe not exactly angry.

"I'm not," Paul said convincingly.

"I don't like liars," Meadow said offhandedly. At that moment, Leah came back with the bill and the rest of the food. Meadow thanked her and gathered everything together. She stood up. She grabbed her purse and threw it across her body, making sure it was in a comfortable position before she scooped up the boxes of food in her arms and turned to pay at the counter so she could leave. She smiled at Seth, Sue's son, as she approached the counter. She gladly gave him the money and told him to use the money left over for a tip. She pushed open the building's door and started walking to her car. She could see Jacob simmering in the front seat and Quil looking worried in the back seat.

A hand wrapped around her arm. She stopped and looked at the perpetrator. She should have known it would be him. Her heart pumped fast in her chest, though her face betrayed nothing. Paul smirked at her. His eyes said he was frustrated. She ripped her arm out of his possession and glared at him. She didn't like being pulled like a rag doll. Paul put his hands up in defense and managed to look sheepish.

"Okay. I lied. But I wanted to talk to you without coming on strong," he said as he used one of his hands to rub the back of his head. "I just. I mean, I. Well, you and the ball was."

Meadow watched as he stumbled over his words, wondering where the confident Paul LaHote had gone. He was never like this around anyone at school. He was always so daring and fearless. He always seemed at-ease with every situation. Well, with every situation with the exception of the ones that made him angry. What was it that made him trip so much? She turned to leave. She wasn't going to waste time waiting for him to figure out what he wanted to say. Again, she was pulled back. An irritated expression formed on her face and as she turned to face Paul once again, she thought of all the ways to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pull you again. I just," he stopped and ran his fingers through his cropped hair.

"If you don't tell me what you want I'm going to leave," Meadow told him. She detected the slight ferocity to her tone and mentally scolded herself for letting it slip, especially when she saw a small smirk show on Paul's face.

"You're so different from girls I usually approach," Paul said with a grin. Meadow didn't know what that damn grin was for. Was that supposed to be a compliment, or was he making fun of her terrible social skills?

Paul caught himself when he saw the twisted frown on Meadow's face. "What I mean to say is you don't seem to be as affected as the other girls at school. It's weird."

When the look on her face twisted more, Paul cursed and his eyebrows scrunched together. Meadow was ready to leave. Paul wasn't making any sense and she didn't want to be continuously insulted. She sighed and thought hard about what she should do. She wasn't good at these types of situations and so, when no solution came to mind, she huffed and lightly stomped to her car. She opened the car door and stood there with one foot in the car and one foot out. Looking at Paul's confused and startled state, she threw all her previous concerns away and shouted at him before getting in her car and leaving.

"Come find me when you gather your wits!"

* * *

The car ride back to the Blacks' house was silent. Meadow silently cursed Paul and his friends for creating such an awkward atmosphere in her car. When she parked the car, Jacob stormed into the house, slamming her car door in the process. Quil followed him, glancing at Meadow for a second to apologize to her. Meadow was fuming at this point. She didn't appreciate his blatant disrespect towards her and her car. She also didn't appreciate his attitude. She stormed in to the house and dropped off the food in the kitchen. She checked Jacob's room and found it empty, so she made her way to the garage. Just as she walked in, she saw Jacob punch the wall. She rushed over to him and scolded him. She grabbed his hand in hers and inspected the damage. The skin on his hand was ripped open, allowing blood to seep out. She ran back to the house to grab some bandages.

After she tended to his hand, she made him sit next to Quil on one of the cinder blocks lying about and stood in front of him with her arms crossed. She said nothing, expecting them to understand what she was trying to portray. They did.

"Why would you talk to him?!" Jacob exploded in his seat. His hair swished onto his shoulder as his limbs moved around wildly to show how upset he was.

"He wanted to talk. Besides, our food and the bill wasn't even out yet," Meadow answered calmly. Seeing Jacob hurt had calmed her down.

"Well, what did he say?!"

"Nonsense," was all she said.

"Nonsense?" Jake echoed her.

"He kept stumbling over his words. He was a mess," she admitted as she rolled her eyes.

Quil snickered, causing Jake to glare at him. Quil threw his hands over his mouth the hide the noises coming from his lips. It was a failed attempt. Jacob threw a pebble at his his head. It made contact with a soft _thump_. Quil dramatically rubbed his head and complained. The atmosphere in the garage lightened and Meadow internally thanked Quil for his comedic relief. Jake faintly laughed at Quil and shook his head in amusement.

"Where's Embry?" Meadow asked them. She had noticed his presence was missing ever since Sam and Jared rushed him out of the restaurant. She was concerned for him. She instantly realized she had made a mistake in mentioning his name. Jacob's and Quil's faces darkened and Quil scoffed. She didn't mean to ruin the happy mood.

"Sam and Jared pushed him into the woods and he never came back," Jacob explained.

"We tried intervening, but Jared threatened us. Said we need to mind our business otherwise we'd get hurt," Quil added.

"What?!" Meadow snarled out. She was fiercely protective over the three boys and didn't like it when others threatened them or harmed them in any way. Meadow didn't want anyone to think they could say or do anything they wanted to the three of them.

"Calm down, MeMe," Quil said exasperatedly. "Let it go."

"Let it go?! They threatened you! How am I supposed to let that go?" she all but screeched out. She needed to calm down before she went all over town looking for the perpetrators.

"They're bigger than you, Meadow," Jacob tried reasoning with her. "I don't want you getting hurt fighting our battles."

"Referencing you, Quil, Embry, and me."

"Meadow," Jake began but was cut off by Quil.

"Just let her do what she wants. I mean, it's not like they're going to hit a girl. Besides, MeMe can handle herself," he said. Meadow smiled triumphantly at both boys and laughed when they groaned.

"Way to boost her ego, Quil," Jake grumbled.

"It's not my fault she's got such a big head," Quil grumbled back. He let out an audible noise of pain when Meadow decided to throw her show at him.

"I heard that," was all she said. She scooped her shoe off the ground and put it back on before she went into the house. Just as she sat down to watch some TV, car headlights flooded the room through the window. She quickly got up and peeked out the window. She smiled widely when she saw her dad being helped out of the cruiser parked in the driveway. She ran to the front door and opened it, standing in the doorway to wait for him to ascend the ramp. She welcomed him home and thanked Charlie for dropping him off. She heated up his food for him and placed it in front of him.

Plopping into her seat, she whined when she realized he had turned the channel. He gave her a knowing glance, causing her to mutter under her breath about unfair treatment. Now that she wasn't occupied by other matters, her mind wandered back to Paul, Sam, and Embry.

"Hey, dad."

"Yeah, Meadow," he responded after he chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth.

"What do you know about Sam Uley?"

Her father stilled. The hand held up to his mouth dropped on his lap and he stared at her with an unreadable expression. Must be a careful subject to talk about, Meadow observed. She cautioned herself as she realized that her dad was not going to give her specific answers.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked her.

"I saw him, Jared, and Paul at Sue's diner today," Meadow answered. She waited for him to say something, but when he didn't she pursed her lips. He was waiting for a better answer.

"There was a slight incident at the diner. Embry started shaking out of nowhere and Sam and Jared pushed him out of the diner. Jake and Quil said they pushed him all the way out into the woods."

"And where was Paul during all of this?"

Meadow looked down at her hands and started picking at her nails. She didn't want to talk to him about the awkward conversation she had with Paul. If Jacob was protective, one could only imagine how protective her dad was. He was like a steel, barb-wire fence with no way in or out.

"He was with me," she said quietly.

"Oh, really," Billy said. "And what were the two of you doing?"

"Just talking."

"Just talking?"

"Yes, dad!" Meadow exclaimed.

"What did he want?"

"He wants to get to know me, apparently," she said with a pout. She didn't like him questioning her so much. It wasn't like she was going to make-out with the guy! Her dad paused for a moment. Then he puffed out a big ball of air and laughed to himself. There was a knowing gleam in his eyes and it took all of Meadow's self-restraint not to accuse him.

"It had to be him," Meadow heard her dad say.

"What are you talking about?" she asked with irritation laced in her voice.

"Nothing you need to worry about right now," was all he said.

"You never answered my first question!"

Her dad sighed and beckoned her over to him. He grabbed her hands in his and looked into her eyes and said, "Sam, Jared, and Paul are doing great things for the reservation. Whatever happened at the diner, just let it go. You'll understand soon. Just be patient. Okay?"

Meadow said nothing.


	5. 5

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow sat on the beach by herself, basking in the few rays of sun that escaped the big, white puffy clouds in the sky. A jacket was thrown across her shoulders in an attempt to cover herself from the wind. It wasn't cold, but every time the wind picked up its speed, a slight chill crawled down her spine. She was reading a book while occasionally sneaking glances at her surroundings. She was waiting.

She knew her dad meant well, but she wasn't going to listen to him this one time. Seeing the care swimming in her father's eyes as he told her not to seek out Sam, Jared, and Paul did nothing to deter her away from her goal. Which is why she had been so silent after their conversation. She couldn't lie to him, so she opted for silence. He could come to his own conclusions.

Meadow turned a page in her book, completely immersing herself. She'd already been there for two hours. She didn't want to waste her time by doing nothing. The beach was the only place, other than Sue's diner, that she had seen the group hanging out. She definitely wasn't going to make a scene at the diner, and the beach was more open and allowed her for an easier escape if things went south. She hummed a tune her mother used to sing to her and flipped another page. She was halfway through the sing when she heard the rowdy boys enter the beach area. Her heart started racing in her chest and her palms started sweating. She wasn't ready. She was scared. Facing one guy bigger than you was already nerve-wracking. Facing three guys bigger than you was like a death wish!

She stole a glance in their direction and quickly looked away when she saw that Paul was already looking at her. And worse, they were shirtless! Now her heart felt as if it was about to burst! She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself before she confronted them. She went over what she was going to say to them in her head. She needed a game plan if she was that nervous. She tended to fumble her words when she confronted people. She wasn't someone who liked confronting people, but when it came to Jake, Quil, and Embry, well, she would do just about anything for them.

She snapped her book shut and stood up, dusting off the particles of sand that clung to her clothes and skin. She tilted her chin up and held her head high as she walked over to them. They watched as she made her way over to them, causing her to become even more nervous. She had no idea how that was possible, but apparently it was. She paused her walking when she was a few feet away from them and crossed her arms. It helped to calm her nerves. Her arms were like fences protecting her from the unknown. She gave them her fiercest glare and said, "Where's Embry?"

Jared and Paul glanced at Sam while Sam steadily stared at Meadow. Meadow met his stare albeit a little reluctantly. She didn't want to have a stare down with a guy who was almost a foot taller than her. Sam told her that Embry was fine and that he was at home. Meadow didn't believe it. If Embry was home, he would have talked to Jake or Quil already. They hadn't spoken to him since the diner incident and he wasn't answering his phone.

"Bullshit," Meadow spit out. If lying was a trait the group held, then she wanted nothing to do with them. She could see why Jake didn't like them much. They held this air of superiority, whether intentional or not, and it was a bit narcissistic in Meadow's opinion.

"Hey, Meadow," Paul softly said, interrupting the whole conversation. "I wanted to talk to you again."

"I won't ask again," Meadow said without batting an eyelash. Even though hearing her name come from Paul's lips made her feel all fluttery inside, but she couldn't be distracted from her goal.

"I told you. He's at his house," Sam said without wavering.

"Why did you threaten Jacob and Quil yesterday?" she asked. She knew she wasn't going to get the truth from Sam's tight-lipped form, so she moved the conversation elsewhere. She would figure out what happened to Embry as soon as she was done with the conversation. Jared laughed at her question while Paul's face twisted into confusion.

"We didn't threaten your little brother and his friend," Jared said through escaped chuckles.

"I was given a different story."

"Listen," Jared started. He placed a hand on her shoulder, but immediately dropped it when a growling sound came from Paul's chest. It was almost inaudible, but Meadow still heard it. She looked at him with a mixture of confusion and fear. Why was he so angry so suddenly, she couldn't help wonder.

"All we told them was to mind their business. They shouldn't be sticking their noses in things they don't understand. And neither should you," he finished.

"So subtle threats are your thing then," Meadow mused with a blank face. Jared let out an exasperated sigh and backed away from her. He looked over at Paul, causing Meadow to do the same. His hands were clenched and his eyes were scrunched together. He seems upset, Meadow observed. Meadow was finished with the conversation. Her nerves were shot and she was ready to bolt at any moment. So, to end it, she said, "Stay away from Jacob, Quil, and Embry. The last thing they need is to be around you three. Threaten them again and I'll send you to the land of our ancestors."

She turned around, but stopped when Paul called out to her. He asked her to talk with him again. It sounded like there was a small plea in his voice, like he was pleading her to give him the time of day. But Meadow was ready to go. Besides, he apparently wasn't articulate enough to express his thoughts. Meadow knew how it felt to not be able to get anything out, but at least she knew when to stop.

"If all you're going to do is make incoherent sentences and expect me to understand what the hell you're saying, then I'm leaving. Regardless, I'm leaving," she said as she walked away. She silently hoped she didn't hurt his feelings too much. It was inevitable, obviously, but she couldn't help but feel like she should be nicer to him. He actually wants to talk to me, Meadow giddily thought to herself. She pondered if she should give the guy a chance, but shook it from her head when she realized there was somewhere she was supposed to be going. Making a sharp turn, she headed towards a familiar path in the woods to get to Embry's house.

"Where are you going?" she heard Paul yell to her. Instead of answering him, she continued her trek through the woods. It was relatively quiet and Meadow basked in it. She didn't get much quiet time, what with Jake, Quil, and Embry always hanging out at the house. And the house itself wasn't big, so she could hear just about anything from her room. Birds were chirping and the few stray rays of sunlight able to reach the forest floor left a magical feeling. Meadow exited the trees and made her way up to the back door of Embry's house. She knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer the door. His mother did.

"Is Embry home?" she asked his mom. His mom shook her head and said that he was out at the moment. Meadow asked her when he would be back, but his mom didn't know. After giving Embry's mom a 'thank you', Meadow left with a frown on her face. So, not only did they lie to her, but Embry was avoiding her. And Jacob and Quil. What was Embry's problem, she wondered.

Meadow took a shortcut to her house. She was tired. It wasn't even dinnertime yet and she was already ready to fall asleep on her bed. When her house was in view, she groaned out loud. She didn't want to talk to him! Why couldn't he get that through his thick skull?! Paul was leaning against the house with his hands stuffed in his jean shorts' pockets. Meadow kept her head towards the ground and hoped that it would make her invisible. Feeling a hand on her lower arm, dangerously close to her hand, reminded her that that was impossible.

She looked up at Paul and gave him an unimpressed look. Maybe he could understand body language better than he could talk to her. He recoiled from her, like he was burned by a hot stove. Meadow was satisfied that he took the hint. She allowed a small smile to grace her features for her small victory and continued her journey to the front door. She opened the front door and stepped through the doorway. She turned so she was facing outside. With a hand on the edge of the door and a hand on her hip, she faltered seeing his broken expression. Her hand dropped from her hip and a frown marred her face. She wondered why he felt so down, why he went through so much trouble to talk to her. It would be better for him to leave her alone, she thought. She didn't have time to waste to deal with whatever came with him. His baggage.

But as she continued to stare at him, she couldn't help but wonder what could go so wrong with talking to him. She could at least be his friend, right? She didn't really have friends. She didn't count Jacob, Quil, or Embry really as her friends. They were more like annoying little brothers. It wasn't like she could confide in them with any of her problems. She couldn't really let herself slip in front of them. She wasn't comfortable enough to do so. Friends confided in each other, though, right? They bared their hearts out to each other like people in relationships did. Friendships were relationships without the sexual tension and stuff, right? So, this distinction confused her and her musings. Could she be Paul's friend? She never imagined she would be comfortable enough to confide in him. By her definition of a friend, Paul probably would never fit it.

So, should he be labelled more as an acquaintance? The problem with that, though, was that it seemed like he wanted to get to know her better. Acquaintances didn't do that. They didn't want that much familiarity. They wanted to just make small talk as they passed by, exchange greetings, talk to someone when they knew no one else, those sorts of things. It wasn't important to get to know them because you didn't need to. You only needed enough to say a few sentences. Meadow thought back on all the people she knew and wondered if any of them were acquaintances. She figured there were many, seeing as how her dad was the chief.

Meadow didn't want to hurt his feelings. Sure, she could be a blunt person when she needed to be, and sure, her behavior gave her a stand-offish vibe, but that was who she was. That was how everyone saw her. She wasn't mean. And when she was it was for good cause. Like with the situation with Paul and his friends. For some reason, seeing how bent out of shape he was that she wouldn't talk to him made her want to cry. She was drowning in air as dense as ocean water. It was suffocating.

Meadow sighed and gazed longingly in the direction of her room. Oh, how she wished she had no problems in the world. When she turned back to Paul, he was walking away. His shoulders were slightly slouched, though strangely tense, and his hands were balled into fists. He needs to handle his anger better, Meadow thought. She wondered if she should just ignore the feeling in her chest and go lie down. Maybe laying down could fix it. She knew better. So, with a small, tired voice, Meadow wished her words got to him and said, "Come find me at lunch tomorrow."

She watched as he completely stilled. Maybe he was shocked she was talking to him or maybe he was shocked she was giving him a chance. Meadow couldn't fathom which one it was. She didn't really care. Seeing him twist his body towards her and give her a charming smile made up for it. The uneasiness in her chest went away and her heart was elated. Paul nodded his head with a determined look on his face and happily ran off. Meadow closed the door with a smile and silently wondered if she made the right choice.


	6. 6

** Third P.O.V. **

I didn’t think this through, Meadow thought to herself as she sat in class. In her moment of weakness, she failed to realize that Paul was a persistent person. How could I forget that detail, she scolded herself. She had hoped late last night as she fell into a deep slumber that he would forget all about it, wouldn’t come to school, or that she would be able to hide well enough in the cafeteria just so she wouldn’t have to talk to him. She couldn't socialize properly! And having a crush on him helped nothing. And don’t get her started on the dream she had last night:

_She was sitting alone in a dark room. Her head was resting on her kneecaps and her arms were tightly wrapped around her legs. She was frightened, but she didn’t know why. She was shivering like a leaf. She was cold. The concrete floor felt like ice. She sought warmth out by reaching her hand out in front of her, thinking she could find her way around the dark room and latch onto a blanket or something. Her palm met a wall. She started freaking out. She reached out beside her and felt another wall, and again and again. She was cornered. Trapped. She couldn’t breathe. She needed help. Someone had to help her! She couldn’t breathe! She needed air! She needed out of that room._

_Suddenly, light flooded her eyes. She squinted at the origin of it and was relieved to see a person reaching their hand out to her. She gladly accepted it, clambering to her feet in a hurry and latching onto the person’s hand like it was her last lifeline. She couldn’t see their face, but she desperately wanted to. She wanted to know who her savior was so she could one day, hopefully, return the favor. She heard them say something to her, but it sounded like a garbled mess. She leaned in closer to them, feeling a hard chest and muscular arms envelope her. It was a man. She was a handful of inches shorter than him, so when she pulled back, she had to tilt her head to see his face. It was Paul._

Meadow was stunned, to say the least, when she woke up that morning. She had splashed her face with enough cold water to house penguins. She didn’t understand why she dreamed of him and she wished that she didn’t. Not only was it a terrible dream, but the heroic actions he partook in her dream only made her crush on him stronger. She didn’t know what to do, so she leaned her head against her hand and waited for the bell to ring. She wished he would treat her like everyone else did; like she was insignificant. The bell rang a few minutes later and Meadow rushed to put her things away and dash off to lunch. She didn’t want him to find her in the halls and haul her to the cafeteria. That would be just what she needed, Meadow thought sarcastically. She could just picture her and Paul walking into the cafeteria together and Jake’s angry face.

She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder and quickly left the room. She gave an audible squeak when a hand rested on her head and she came face to face with Paul. She looked around her and hoped no one else had heard her sound of distress. She scowled as Paul chuckled at her expense and briefly wondered what would happen if she punched him.She walked down the hall with Paul hot on her heels. He followed her as she made her way to the cafeteria. She wondered how Jacob and Quil were going to react. Embry still hadn’t talked to any of them yet. Knowing Jacob and his attitude towards Paul and his friends, he would be hostile. Quil would mind just as much as Jake, but he wouldn’t show it too much.

As Meadow got lost in her thoughts, she didn’t realize that Paul had thrown his arm around her shoulders. When she did, she tried shrugging him off, but he tightened his grip in response. Meadow slumped a little and walked sluggishly to the cafeteria. She was trying to buy some time to think of some kind of excuse, something to avoid any unnecessary confrontation in front of the whole cafeteria. Luckily, someone grabbed Paul’s other arm and pulled him away from her. An irritated look crossed his face and he looked like he wanted to throw a fit.

“Paul, what are you doing?”

It was Jared. He had an arm wrapped around a girl’s waist and had a serious look upon his face. Meadow identified the girl as Kim Connweller. Kim was a shy girl with social skills on par with Meadow. The only difference between the two was that Kim made an effort to talk when she was spoken to. Meadow did not. So, Kim had a few friends, while Meadow, well, didn’t. Kim waved at Meadow with a large smile, which Meadow reciprocated. Well, minus the large smile. Meadow gave a small one that looked more like a grimace than anything else.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Paul asked rhetorically. He made his way back to my side, but was stopped when Jared called out his name.

“You know we’re not supposed to be around her. Not right now, anyway,” Jared said sternly. Paul slumped and shook his head. Meadow couldn’t see the look on his face, but she could only think of an image of defeat painted across his features. She wondered what Jared meant when he said they weren’t allowed to speak with her. Was it because of her confrontation, Meadow wondered. Maybe they didn’t want her snooping around their business. Either way, it was strange, Meadow noted.

Lost in her thoughts, Meadow didn’t notice when Paul stalked off. Jared and Kim had taken off, as well. Feeling put-off, she shrugged and rushed to lunch. Too much time had been wasted. She could have already had some food in her system. By the time she grabbed her food and sat down, Jacob and Quil were already seated. Embry was nowhere to be seen.

“What took you so long?” Jake asked. “You’re usually eating before we even get here.”

“I bet she got stopped by Paul again,” Quil said with a smirk on his face. Jacob pushed him, making Quil teeter in his seat. Quil just laughed it off.

“I did, actually,” Meadow stated as she shoved a carrot in her mouth.

“What is with you and this guy?!” Jacob shouted. People seated at the tables nearby glanced their way. Meadow slouched in her chair a bit, wanting the attention to be on something else.

“Jake, leave her alone,” Quil said. “It’s not like she’s approaching him. He’s the one trying to talk to her, not the other way around.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Jake said as he deflated. He continued eating as if nothing happened.

Meadow was not happy. So what if Paul wanted to talk to her. It wasn’t like anyone else was bothering with it. Would it really be so bad if he did? If they became friends? Meadow was smart enough to know who was good for her and who would bring her harm. And as much as Jacob wanted to define Paul as a bad guy, he wasn’t, as far as Meadow could tell. Sure, he had a temper, and sure, he lied about some things, and sure, he slept around, but did all of those things really make him the bad guy? He never hurt anyone when he was mad, he never lied in a major way, and people were allowed to sleep with whoever they wanted, whenever they wanted, and as many times as they wanted. It wasn’t a crime.

Maybe she was making excuses for him. Maybe her feelings for him were clouding her judgement. Should she listen to her younger brother and stay away from Paul, or should she listen to herself and do what she wanted? Jacob’s protectiveness came from a good place, but was it necessary? Meadow huffed in her seat as her head spun. She wasn’t in the mood for figuring out her thoughts on all of it. She didn’t show much of her feelings, so why would she need to contemplate about them?

The rest of the week, Paul ignored her. Meadow still felt his eyes on her at times, but he never came up to her or asked to talk to her. Meadow was frustrated. It may not seem like it, but she liked that he wanted to get to know her. No one else had put in the effort to do so. It was nice. Feeling like she mattered enough to someone, like someone actually wanted to know how she felt. Jake was happy about it, while all Meadow wanted to do was punch his face in with all his talk of how Paul was ‘staying in his place’. Maybe Jacob should stay in _his_ place, Meadow thought darkly.

Embry was absent the whole week, too. And he still didn’t contact anyone or answer any of their texts or calls. Meadow couldn’t fathom why he would ignore them out of the blue when he spent so much time with them. Honestly, Meadow was sick of it all. Paul’s distance, Jacob’s bad-mouthing, and Embry’s disappearance put a damper on her mood and distracted her from her responsibilities. She forgot to turn in her Chemistry homework the other day, and her room, which was usually spotless, looked like someone had abandoned it months ago.

Really, she shouldn’t be bothered by Paul’s behavior. It wasn’t like they were friends or even acquaintances, really. He hadn’t even looked her way or batted an eye at her for years, as far as she could tell. So why was she so upset? Why did she feel like a hole was forming in her stomach? Like the air was being sucked out of her lungs every time she made eye contact with him and he looked away. It has to end, Meadow thought to herself as she laid in bed, or I’m going to go mad.

Springing out of bed, Meadow threw on a pair of sneakers and left the house. Jake and her dad were at Quil’s house visiting Quil Sr. She opted out of the visit because she wasn’t in the mood for socializing. Knowing that she needed something to do, Meadow walked to the beach. The beach was a calming place for Meadow, The soft waves and breeze always relaxed her. She inhaled the sweet mix of salty air, earthy sand, and green vegetation. She felt at ease.

She kicked off her shoes and her socks and walked to the edge of the water. Her feet met the cold liquid and a delicious shiver ran up her spine from the contact. She waded in further until she was knee-deep. She didn’t care that her pants were getting soaked or that the small splashes of water from the crashing waves made their way onto her shirt. She was in her own little paradise. She gazed out at the horizon, wondering what it would be like if she was a fish. I wouldn’t have to hide anything, Meadow thought. She’d be able to be herself. There wasn’t anything complicated about being a fish because fish lived simple lives.

Meadow reflected back on her childhood, on how isolated she felt. She had felt as though no one listened to her. Like no one wanted to know what she had to say or how she felt. Meadow came into the world with two, twin, 10 year-old sisters. Rachel and Rebecca had doted on her, along with their mother, as if Meadow was their child instead of their sister. They loved her and Meadow loved them as much as a baby could love. They were preteens, though, so they wanted to spend as much time with their friends as possible. So, Meadow spent a lot of time alone with her parents. And she was happy for it. They’d take her to the beach to watch the water. Sometimes, she’d play in the sand and collect shells and give them to her parents as a gift.

A few months after Meadow turned two, Jacob was born. Everyone was excited, including Meadow. She had a baby brother! But everything wasn’t as great as she thought it would be. Her parents had to look over Jacob more since he was a baby, so Meadow was pushed to the side. She was old enough to do some things on her own; She could dress herself and put on her shoes and go to the bathroom by herself. She was proud that she could be independent, but she missed the moments when her parents would help her. She was at an age where she wanted everything to be about her, where she needed that extra parental love she was craving.

She started acting out. She reasoned that if she did something bad, then her parents would have to pay attention to her! She broke things, refused to pick up her toys, and even threw food at Jacob, all to get a lick of attention. She was questioned about her behavior and disciplined for her actions. She would always shrug at her parents as an answer for her behavior. Meadow didn’t like acting out, so she felt guilty and scared. She didn’t mean to make her parents upset, she just wanted more time with them. But she was nervous to tell them that. She didn’t fully understand her feelings and feared that they would stop paying attention to her if they found out the real reason why she did what she did. So, she continued misbehaving.

When Jacob got old enough, he followed her and mimicked her actions. She was the closest sibling he had, so he naturally gravitated towards her. He’d follow her around and watch as she threw rocks at the side of the house, only to imitate her a few seconds later. Her parents did not like that. Fed up, her parents sat her 8 year-old self down and questioned her behavior. They refused to accept her usual answer, so they sat and waited. Meadow gave in a half an hour later.

Meadow’s lips pulled down as she remembered their conversation:

_“You never spend any time with me anymore!” she yelled. The silence and the heavy weight of her parents’ eyes caused her to say what was on her mind. A pout formed on her face and tears welled up in her dark brown eyes._

_“What are you talking about, Meadow?” her mom, Sarah, asked. “We spend time with you.”_

_“Nuh uh! Not just the three of us!” Meadow said, keeping the volume in her voice. She wanted to be heard. She wanted them to understand that she was being treated unfairly._

_“You aren’t our only child, Meadow,” he dad said gently._

_“You spend time alone with Jake all the time! And when I ask to hang out too you always tell me I can’t cause it’s ‘Mommy and Daddy and Jake-y Time’!”_

_“Jacob still needs mommy and daddy’s help,” her mom explained. “He just needs a little bit of extra love for now.”_

_“So do I!”_

_“Meadow, you’re a big girl now. You don’t need our help anymore, sweetheart,” her mom said._

_“Yes I do! I’m a big girl, but I’m not a big big girl! Not like Rachel and Rebecca!”_

_“Enough, Meadow!” her dad said sternly. “You are not a baby anymore! You need to start learning things on your own.”_

_“How am I s’posed to learn on my own when I don’t know where to start!”_

_“Just ask us and we’ll help,” her mother said softly._

_“I tried! I needed help tying my shoe yesterday and you said you couldn’t help me cause Jake needed a snack! And when I asked you to help me with my homework you said Jake needed help with his and that I should be able to do it myself if I was paying attention in class!”_

_“Meadow,” her mother had sighed out, “those were rare occurrences. Mommy and daddy love you very much. We aren’t playing favorites around the house.”_

_“You’re lying! You never help me! You never want to spend time with me! You only care about Jacob and you don’t care about me! All my friends at school said you treat him better cause he’s a boy! They said their parents knew daddy was happy cause of the legends! Why can’t I be a boy! Why can’t you love me like you do Jake!:_

_“Sweety-”_

_“Stop lying! I hate you!” Meadow screamed out. They weren’t listening to her! She was angry and frustrated and she just wanted to cry. A few tears escaped her eyes and she let them. She saw a teardrop fall from the bottom of her chin and burst into tears._

_“That’s it!” her dad roared. “I’ve had enough of your attitude and your disrespect! You’re imagining these feelings! You’re listening to children gossip and believing that it’s true! Lying about how we neglect you! No more! Your mother and I are not going to tolerate any more of your rude behavior! Either you shape up or else!”_

_“I’m not imagining it!” Meadow had yelled as tears streamed down her face. “Me feelings are real! I feel-”_

_“I said enough! Go to your room and don’t come out until tomorrow morning!”_

Meadow couldn’t help but to remember every word said during that conversation. It stuck with her deeply and it always reminded her that no matter how you felt, no one was going to understand your feelings better than you. She guessed that along the way, she lost some of that intuition.

Meadow remembered how she ran to her room and his under her covers after her fight with her parents. She had gripped her teddy bear in her arms to console herself. She didn’t understand why they didn’t understand her feelings. She thought about telling Rachel and Rebecca her problem. Surely they would be on her side! They would discern her want! The next day, she approached her sisters before they could leave the house. She told them about her problem, about how she felt no one paid attention to her and how alone she felt because of it. When she finished, she expected them to give her sympathy and tell her everything was alright. Instead, they laughed and said she was being dramatic and that she should just drop it. They said her feelings were dumb and to get over herself.

She was devastated. How come no one understood? She had watched them jump in their friend’s car and ride away with a sad look upon her face. Their words and her father’s words left an impression on her. She would stop misbehaving so much because she didn’t want to find out what the “else” that her father threatened her with was. She vowed that she would keep silent about how she really felt. If everyone thought she was lying or being dramatic or imagining her feelings, then she guessed they didn’t care about how she felt. So why waste her breath when she could be using it to breathe, to veil her emotions.

After her mom died a year later and after Rachel ran away to college and Rebecca married a man and moved away, she and her father strengthened their relationship. Apparently, he didn’t want to lose any more family members. Over time, he became someone she could rely on. But his words always stuck with her.


	7. 7

** Third P.O.V. **

The next time Meadow saw Embry was at school. She was sitting by herself - Jacob and Quil had opted to sit at a table with a few of their lesser known friends that day - when she heard a commotion. Startled, she looked up from the book she had her nose stuffed in and gritted her teeth at what she saw. Jake, who was being held back by Quil, was trying to lunge for a calm and collected Embry, who was standing next to a table containing Paul, Jared, and Kim. It broke her heart to see her brother hurt so bad over someone who didn't care about their friendship anymore. She didn't want any attention on herself, but she needed to help defuse the situation. She needed to calm her brother down and comfort him.

With a sigh and a bit of reluctance, she slammed her book shut and stood up from her seat. She briskly walked over to Jake and put a hand on his shoulder, letting him know that she was there for him. Wildly, he looked over his shoulder and calmed the minute he saw Meadow. He let out a breath.

"Whatever. Don't think you're welcome near our house ever again," Jake said as he turned away. Meadow watched him sluggishly sit down and eat his food. Quil joined him after shaking his head at Embry. Meadow remained. She stared at Embry, trying to desperately understand what had gotten into him. He was the number one supporter of Jacob's cause against Sam and his friends, and now he was hanging out with them. It didn't make sense.

"Meadow," Embry said, bringing her out of her stupor. "How have you been?"

He said it so softly that Meadow strained to hear it. She was baffled by his question. How had she been? That was all he wanted to say after ignoring them for so long? She was upset with his attitude towards it all, how he could just assume everything could go back to normal between the two of them. If he couldn't make up with Jacob and Quil, there was no way in hell he was going to make up with Meadow. She glared at him as Paul roughly pulled him into a seat. Paul glared at him and fiercely whispered in his ear. Meadow couldn't make out any of the words he said, but she assumed the worst when Embry's skin took on a pallor.

"You can't tell me what to do," Embry mumbled before he gave Meadow a smile. "See you around, MeMe!"

"Don't think you're welcome near our house ever again," Meadow echoed Jacob, hoping that it would get her point across: She was upset with him and he needed to stop while he was ahead. She should have known that it wouldn't work, that Embry wouldn't back down from a few hostile words. Embry was as hard headed as Jake and Quil were.

"Meadow, wait!" he yelled, garnering her attention. Meadow stopped and blankly stared at him, waiting for him to say whatever he wanted to say so she could shoot him down and be done with it.

"Look," he said with a sigh, "can we talk?"

Meadow raised an eyebrow at him. He wanted to talk with her but not his best friends?

"Please."

For some reason, Meadow's eyes strayed towards Paul. He was watching her like he was waiting for her answer. His fists were balled and he was slightly shaking. His forehead perspired from the restraint he seemed to be holding. She didn't know why, but she wanted to deny Embry the chance to talk and soothe Paul instead. The action was calling her, telling her to make Paul happy. Her brows furrowed and a frown marred her features. What the hell is wrong with me, Meadow asked herself. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she reluctantly agreed to Embry's request.

"Fine," she said. Embry sagged in relief and immediately righted his back. He led her to the empty hallway and leaned against the wall. Meadow planted herself in front of him with her arms crossed. She was guarded.

Knowing that Meadow was definitely not going to start the conversation, Embry said, "I'm sorry for ignoring you. I was going through some things. I still am! But I have a better handle on it. Besides, I wanted to see you."

He reached out to her, but she leaned away from as if disgusted by his touch. He recoiled his hand and his face took on an expression of hurt. Meadow refused to feel sorry for him. He brought it on himself, she thought.

"If that's all, I think I'll be leaving," she muttered darkly.

"Wait! I know you're angry, but please don't turn away from me! I need you, MeMe. You've been by my side ever since we were kids! I can't lose you!" he shouted desperately.

"You should have thought of that when you ignored us all!" Meadow said as she raised her voice. Noticing her mistake, she took a moment to recollect herself. It would do her no good to show him how much he had hurt her. I shouldn't have allowed myself to react like that, she scolded herself.

"MeMe, please," he said as he tried to catch her eye. He grabbed her chin in his hand and made her look at him, made her maintain eye contact with him. She gripped his wrist and yanked his hand away from her face. She snarled at him and whirled around.She was not in the mood for him and his bullshit.

"I love you, Meadow!" he shouted out. Meadow stilled, her back as rigid as a plank. Her back was facing Embry, so he could not see the astonished gleam her eyes held. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. Her fingers twitched. Slowly, she turned to face him.

"I love you, Meadow. I don't know when these feelings started and I don't know if they'll end. All I know is that, right now, I love you. And I'll be damned if I let some legend come in between us!"

Meadow didn't know what the hell he was talking about. All she could focus on was the pounding in her heart and his frantic mien. She couldn't deal with it. Not at that moment. It was too much for her. The boy she had watched over loved her?! If it was in a non-romantic way, Meadow could understand. After all, Meadow viewed Quil and Embry as brothers, and in turn, loved them as much as she loved Jacob. But romantically? She couldn't envision her and Embry kissing or being all lovey-dovey. It just seemed so unnatural. Just as she was about to tell him this, Paul stormed into the hallway. If he was a cartoon character, steam would be coming out of his ears and his face would be as red as a tomato.

"I thought I told you to back off," Paul said dangerously. He stalked up to Embry, like a predator did its prey.

"And I thought I told you I didn't care," Embry retorted. He widened his stance and tensed his muscles. He was shaking and she wondered if it was from excitement, from fear, or from anger. Meadow stood between the two boys. She was lost and didn't know what to do with herself. Should she intervene or let them go? Paul looked as though he was ready to murder Embry and Meadow feared for Embry.

Before she could decide, Jared entered the scene, standing in between her and Embry. He man-handled him down the hallway and around the corner. The whole time, Embry was shouting, demanding him to let him go. All Meadow could do was watch it all unfold. She took her gaze away from the end of the hallway when she felt a chest bump into her. Startled, she turned and came face to face with Paul. He gazed at her with soft eyes. She was confused.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. He grabbed her hand in his and pulled her even closer to his body. They stood chest to chest, with only room enough for a sheet of paper between the two of them. Meadow's breathing hitched and her eyes clouded just a bit. It felt like electricity sparked between them and her body steadily grew lethargic. What is this feeling, Meadow wondered, and how can I get it to happen again?

"Meadow," Paul said. Her eyes trailed from his chest to his face. She was met with a boyish grin. It looks good on him, she thought. She pulled out of her daze by the sound of her brother's voice.

"Get off my sister," Jacob said lethally. Paul and Meadow simultaneously rushed to look his way. She tried to detach herself from Paul's grip, to create some space between them, but Paul was having none of it. When she pulled away, he pulled her forward. She huffed because she did not like being pulled around. Paul gifted her with a mischievous smile and wrapped his arms around her, encasing her in a warm hug. Meadow stiffened let her arms fall to her sides. Knowing that neither boy was going to stand down, Meadow made a choice. Whether it was for her brother's benefit or her's, she had no idea.

"Jake, cam down," she said.

"But-"

"I won't repeat myself. I'll handle this. Go back and eat before the bell rings," she directed him. He stood his ground for a minute, daggering Paul's back with his eyes, before he pouted and left. Meadow was relieved that he obeyed her. She didn't know if he was going to and she was afraid an argument was going to break out. Now that she was alone with Paul, she wondered if he would talk to her like he was supposed to before he started ignoring her, or if he would let go of her and pretend nothing happened. She wondered why he wasn't allowed to talk to her. Was it Sam who ordered them not to? He seemed like the leader of the group, what with the way Jared and Paul looked to him for directions.

As if sensing her unease, Paul pulled back from the hug and said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to make your little brother mad."

Meadow knew he was lying. The smile on his face made him seem everything but sorry. She scowled and said, "Sure you are."

"I've noticed that you don't like beating around the bush, and I also noticed that you haven't finished your lunch yet, so I'll make this quick," he said suddenly. "I still want to have that talk you promised me, but I'm not really supposed to be around you."

"Why?" Meadow asked.

"I'm not....." he trailed off before getting his wits together and saying, "I'm struggling with something and your dad says I should get it under control before seeking you out."

"My dad?" Meadow questioned, Why would dad prohibit him from talking to me, Meadow wondered. Paul paled a little from his slip-up and nervously chuckled. He rubbed the back of his head and started to ramble.

"Nevermind," she said, stopping him from his rambles. "We can talk when this is all sorted out. I don't have time for the mess that it is now."

"Alright," Paul said. "I'll hold you to it."

* * *

Meadow walked in the door after returning home after school. Her eyes were immediately drawn to her dad, who was sitting in the living room. His face lit up when he saw her, but Meadow's remained impassive. Jacob and Quil passed her, setting their book bags down in his room before heading to the kitchen. As they passed, she reminded them that she was taking them to look for parts for their new project as soon as she was done talking to their dad. They waved her off, distracted by the sight of chip bags. Meadow rolled her eyes and made her way towards her dad. She sat down opposite him and placed her hands in her lap. She wasn't sure how to start; she didn't want to come off as disrespectful or over emotional. She secretly hoped he would notice her discomfort and start the conversation. Luck was not on her side.

With a sigh, Meadow squared her shoulders and said, "Why did you tell Paul to stay away from me?"

Her dad waited a moment before answering with, "There are things you have yet to know. Be patient."

"I want to know now, dad, Don't you think I ought to know, especially since it involves me?" she asked.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with. All in due time, my little meadow."

"Stop keeping me in the dark, dad. I deserve to know," Meadow said. She was frustrated and barely had a hold on her emotions. She was overloaded on emotions. First, from her anger at Embry's blatant disregard of Jacob's and Quil's feelings. Second, from Embry's declaration of love and the confusion that ensued afterwards. Third, from Paul's display of affection. Fourth, from Jacob's anger. And last, from Meadow's puzzled feelings about everything.

"You deserve to know, but not right now. It won't benefit anyone for you to know right now," he told her.

"I don't understand. Nothing is adding up."

"It's not supposed to. Let it go, Meadow."

"Every time we have a conversation, you write me off. You never give me direct answers. Please, for once will you answer my question?"

She was met with silence. Her lip quivered and she held back sadness. It wasn't like he was completely disregarding her feelings, but it felt like he was. To Meadow, it felt like he didn't care how she felt about it all. Numbly, she nodded her head and stood. She motioned for Jake and Quil to follow her. She needed out of the house and Jake and Quil's mechanic talk was just the right antidote.

"Be back before 5!" her dad shouted after them. "I promised Charlie we'd come over for dinner!"


	8. 8

** Third P.O.V. **

Dinner at the Swan's house was interesting. Bella made dinner: fried fish with vegetables and a side of rolls. She was quiet, for the most part. Jake kept trying to engage her in some light-hearted conversation, but she was almost as bad as Meadow at keeping it up. Meadow analyzed her and realized that she wasn't doing too well. There were bags under her eyes and her skin was paler than it had ever been. And in her eyes was a gleam of defeat. It was a sad sight to see. Meadow always thought Bella was a pretty attractive girl. Nothing too special, but just the right amount. And her slightly closed-off personality fed into it. Seeing her so zombie-like was strange.

Charlie and her dad talked the entire time. It was like they hadn't seen each other for years when they had just seen each other a few days ago. Meadow was the only one who felt out of the loop, like she didn't belong. She'd answer a few questions here and there when Charlie asked, but, other than that, she remained silent. It was nice that talking wasn't obligatory, but by withholding her voice, she felt ostracized; like she was the only stranger at a party.

When they finished eating dinner, Charlie, her dad, and Jacob all went into the living room to watch a game on TV. Meadow went to follow, but was stopped by a look from her dad.

"Why don't you help Bella with the dishes?" he suggested.

"That's a great idea," Charlie gruffed out. "Lord knows Bella needs someone to talk to."

Puzzled by her dad's suggestion and by Charlie's comment, Meadow did as she was told. Bella was getting the water ready when Meadow reentered the room. Not knowing what she should do first, she stood there and waited for Bella to turn around. When she did, she was startled by Meadow's presence.

"Oh," she said quietly, "I can clean up by myself."

"I was told to help you," Meadow said bluntly.

"Oh, okay," Bella said. She started picking up the dishes on the table, ignoring Meadow.

"What would you like me to do?" Meadow questioned. She wasn't going to disobey her dad's wishes, and she certainly wasn't going to stand in the doorway looking like an idiot.

"You can wipe down the table and the counters if you want to help," Bella said.

So, after asking for a rag, Meadow began doing her job. It was relatively quiet in the room. The only sound in the room came from the noise in the living room. Shouts of happiness and groans of disappointment trickled into the room, making the awkwardness in the air dissipate ever so slightly. Still, Meadow felt the uncomfortable tension and wanted to get rid of it. Knowing that she was breaking her internal code, she asked Bella, "How is school?"

Meadow cringed outwardly at the dumb question. Who asks about school when there are dozens of other things to ask about? Sure, they both were seniors and both were experiencing high school, but that didn't mean she had to start there.

"School's good," Bella said shortly.

Meadow scrambled to think of something else to ask, or say, to further the exchange. Without thinking, Meadow asked, "How's your relationship going?"

She was met with silence. She turned to look at Bella and noticed a tension in her shoulders. Wondering if she made an error or offended her by asking about her relationship, Meadow furthered her question by saying, "Jacob told me you were dating some guy at your school. Edward Cullen, I think is his name."

After a few beats, Bella let out a soft, "Yeah."

Meadow noticed how Bella's mood became worse. She wondered if Edward Cullen was the reason for her bad mood. Maybe they broke up, Meadow thought. She, herself, had never experienced a break-up, but she could only imagine how bad it would feel. Then again, Bella and Edward weren't dating for long. Would it still hurt the same if they dated for a month versus dating for a year, Meadow pondered.

Wanting to remedy her mistake, Meadow said, "I'm sorry for bringing the subject up. I am finished wiping everything down."

"Thank you," Bella said. With a sharp nod, Meadow left the kitchen and entered the living room. She took up a spot on the couch next to her brother, who gave her a questioning look.

"Why aren't you in the kitchen?" he asked. Meadow scowled at his misogynistic question. No doubt, his brain was too slow to process how wrong his words sounded, so Meadow let him off the hook. However, she still punched him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for MeMe?!" he yelled, garnering the attention of the two adults in the room. Meadow didn't answer him. Instead, she left it up to him to figure out what he did wrong. When he realized his mistake, he stammered out an apology and went back to watching the game.

"All done helping Bella?" Billy asked.

"Yeah," Meadow said curtly. She was still reeling from their earlier conversation, not that she'd outwardly say it.

"Why don't you go in there and talk to her. You two can be friends, like you used to be when you were younger," he said.

To be frank, Meadow was never friends with the girl. More like acquaintances. And did he really expect her to be friends with Bella when he was practically forcing her to do so? Meadow was not happy, to say the least, with her dad's attitude. Opening her mouth, she instantly closed it and grit her teeth. Irritation flowed off her person in waves and it was a wonder that no one seemed to pick up on it. Clenching her hands until they turned a deathly pale color, she loosened them. At the same time, she let out a deep breath.

"I am fine where I am," Meadow said before turning her attention to the TV. She needed a distraction. A sigh broke her concentration. Looking to her left, she stared at Charlie as he rubbed a hand over his face. The guy looked exhausted, honestly. Like he hadn't gotten sleep in over a decade. After he finished demolishing his face, he looked at Meadow and gave her an impish and tired smile.

"I was kinda hoping you and Bella could hang out. Y'know be friends and whatnot. She's going through a rough time right now and could really use some friends," he said. He didn't say it in a way that forced Meadow to be friends. Instead, it was more of a persuasion. Either way, Meadow wasn't good with friends. Not to mention that she wasn't good company. Still, she didn't want to disappoint Charlie or her dad. She sighed and nodded her head, agreeing to his proposition.

When the game was over and her dad was ready to leave, Bella came out of her hiding spot and wished them a good night. Knowing that she had to initiate some kind of friendship with the pale female, Meadow made sure Bella was paying attention to her and said, "You can come over tomorrow after school."

A stunned expression overcame Bella's features for a moment before she started turning down Meadow's offer.

"I don't want to impose," she said.

"You won't," Meadow said.

"It's okay. I have homework and stuff to finish," Bella replied.

"So do I. You're a senior, right? We're probably doing the same stuff."

"That sounds like a great idea, Meadow!" Charlie exclaimed. "Bells, why don't you go over there tomorrow and hang out with Meadow. I'm sure it'll be nice to get out of the house."

Reluctantly, Bella finally agreed to the offer, allowing the Black's to leave. The only thing on Meadow's mind was how she was going to entertain Bella the next day. She fell asleep that night with a headache.

* * *

When the final school bell rang, Meadow rushed out of school and to the car. She wanted to get to her house before Bella did so she could get properly situated. She knew it took some time to travel from Forks to La Push, but she also knew that Forks High got out of school almost half an hour before her high school did. It didn't leave her much time to race home. Impatiently, she tapped her foot against the pavement as she waited for Jacob and Quil. She had warned them in the morning to hurry up after school, but it seemed like they either forgot or didn't care.

She looked around the parking lot, trying to calm her nerves and distract herself from her darkening thoughts. She spotted Paul a few meters away. She always seemed to know where to find him. It freaked her out. The situation from yesterday didn't help, either. She remembered the way his arms had felt wrapped around her body. They were muscular - strong - and warm. She had felt so protected and safe in that moment. She scowled at her wandering thoughts and huffed when she realized that looking around wasn't helping her. Her scowl deepened when she caught Paul's gaze. He waved at her, causing her to cross her arms and look away. Not able to resist, Meadow looked back at him and noticed a frown on his face. Apparently not backing down, Paul started making his way over to her. Meadow's breathing hitched in her throat and her form unconsciously straightened. She fidgeted under his stare and bit her bottom lip. She tensed when he stood in front of her.

"Meadow," he greeted.

"Hi, Paul," she said. She surprised herself by speaking instead of giving him a silent greeting. It surprised him, too, if his wide eyes were anything to go by.

"Waiting for your brother?" he asked her. It occurred to Meadow that he was talking in snippets. He wasn't rambling and he wasn't giving out any extra information like he usually did. Is he adapting to my speaking style, she wondered. It was thoughtful of him, but Meadow felt it was strange. She wanted him to speak naturally.

"Yeah," she answered. She hesitated for a second before she asked, "How are you today?"

She cringed internally at her own question. She absolutely loathed small talk, but if it would revert him back to his old ways, then she would torture herself just this once. He was shocked, too, and stumbled over his next words. Meadow sighed and wondered if her extra effort was worth it.

"I, um. I'm, I'm good. I, uh. Yeah," he finished lamely. His cheeks flamed in embarrassment. He turned his head away from Meadow and rubbed the back of his head, flaring up a few of his inky strands. Meadow snorted in amusement. Her eyes widened considerably when she realized what she had done, and if she wasn't so nervous, she would have slapped a hand over her mouth and ran for cover. Paul stared at her before letting out a snort of his own.

"I'm good. How are you?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she said quietly. She felt so awkward in that moment.

"Yes you are," Paul said slyly. Meadow's face flared. She looked down to attempt to cover her face. Why am I even blushing, she asked herself, that line was so cheesy! And yet, it was the first time anyone had ever hit on her.

"Stop being stupid and leave," she scolded him, an irritated look flashing across her face before a neutral one replaced it. Paul laughed heartily. Meadow listened to the melodic sound. It was rich and smooth, like coffee pouring out of a pot. She was mesmerized. All of a sudden, he cut off his laugh and stepped closer to her. Meadow mirrored his action, taking a step back and bumping her car. She looked back at the unexpected contact and then quickly looked forward when she felt one of Paul's hands whisper over her arm. His other hand was firmly planted on top of her car. She was trapped.

He leaned in and boldly placed his face in the crook of her neck. His nose skimmed the sensitive skin there, causing shivers to wrack Meadow's body. Her knees slightly buckled. Paul caught her in his arms and huffed out his nose in amusement. His nose made its way up to her ear, allowing his lips to brush against her ear lobe. She didn't know what to do or what to say. He was making her feel something she had never felt before. It was a different feeling from the hug. She had felt safe and warm and a bit fuzzy. She felt that this time, too, but it was less innocent. Instead of a warm blanket, it felt like a wild fire was enveloping her. She trembled as he whispered her name in her ear.

"Meadow," he whispered. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Y-yes," she stammered out. Her imagination ran wild with ideas of what he was going to say. Was he going to profess his attraction towards her? Was he going to ask her out? Was he going to kiss her? Her heart sped up at the possibilities.

"Your brother's coming this way," he said, smile imprinting in her skin before pulling back and laughing out loud. Infuriated, Meadow pushed against his chest. He allowed her to push him away, all the while laughing at her expense. She was mad that he ruined the moment. She was also mad at herself for allowing him to do that in front of everyone in the parking lot. She discreetly looked around and noticed gawking faces blatantly staring at them. She hoped Jacob and Quil hadn't seen their little display.

When Jake and Quil walked up to them, Jake had his eyes narrowed at Paul, but otherwise said nothing. He greeted Meadow with a quick hug and made his way over to the passenger side of the car. Quil greeted her, as well, but ignored Paul's existence. Then, he brought up something she wished he didn't.

"Hey, MeMe? Why was everyone staring at you when we got out here?" he asked. Meadow's face paled. She looked at Paul and just as fast looked back at Quil. She cursed internally when it registered that she gave herself away. She watched as a huge smile covered Quil's face.She didn't worry too much; she knew Quil would never tell Jacob anything that might rile him up. But she couldn't help but be concerned over letting him keep her little secret.

"C'mon, Meadow!" Jacob shouted. "I thought you said you were in a hurry to get home!"

"Right," Meadow said quietly. It had completely slipped her mind that she was having a visitor. She turned to Paul, not wanting to leave him hanging like an idiot. She opened her mouth but closed it when Paul waved her off.

"See ya later, MeMe," he said cheekily. After his departure, Meadow raced to get in the car and buckle her seat belt.

Pulling up to her house, Meadow's mood deflated further when she spotted the red pick-up truck in the driveway. She had hoped she would have time to calm down before dealing with someone else, but apparently the universe was out to get her. Jake sprung out of the car and ran to the house with a pep in his step. No doubt he was excited to see his childhood crush. Quil walked after his sluggishly. He got to the front door before he stopped and turned around.

"I'm gonna head home. Jake's gonna be occupied with Bella and I forgot I promised my dad I'd help him with something after school," he explained.

"No worries," Meadow said easily. "See ya tomorrow."

Seeing Jacob sitting next to Bella on the couch when she entered the house was not unexpected. She knew he would attach himself to her as soon as he was within her vicinity. She had no problem with it, if it were under any other circumstances. Bella came over so that she and Meadow could become friends, which meant that Jacob couldn't hang out with them. It would be next to impossible for Meadow to be friends with Bella if he was around them.

"Get out," Meadow told him. He looked up at her with contempt in his eyes and opened his mouth to argue. Meadow shook her head and intercepted his response by saying, "Go. We're doing homework and we don't need any distractions."

With a grumble about how unfair Meadow was being, Jacob left after announcing he was headed to Quil's house. Now that Jake was out of the way, Meadow motioned for Bella to follow her into the kitchen. She planted her backpack beside one of the chairs, claiming it as her own and went in search of some food. Knowing that it was rude eating in front of guests, Meadow offered Bella a snack. She politely declined. Shrugging her shoulders, Meadow grabbed a granola bar and sat down. They worked on their homework quietly.

Both easily completed their homework by themselves. Bella was a smart girl and had an upper hand against her peers because of her schooling in Arizona. Meadow was smart, too, but it didn't come naturally to her like it did to Bella. She worked hard to keep up her grades by studying and paying close attention in class. After a few hours, they were done. Unsure of what to do next, Meadow got started on dinner. Bella offered her help.

"Hey," Bella said unexpectedly. Meadow glanced up from stirring contents in a pot.

"I'm going to a movie this weekend with a friend of mine. Um, do you want to come with us?" she asked. Meadow thought about it. She did like movies, but she didn't know if going with Bella and her friend was a good idea. She didn't know Bella that well, and she definitely didn't know her friend. Then again, it would be a great opportunity to get hanging out with Bella out of the way. She figured if she hung out with Bella on Saturday, she would be free to wait at least two weeks before hanging out with her again.

Taking her silence as something negative, Bella said, "You don't have to. My dad said I should get out of the house more and hang out with people my own age, and he suggested hanging out with you more."

"Sure," Meadow said.


	9. 9

**Third P.O.V.**

I should have never come, Meadow thought as she wondered why in the world she said yes in the first place. Everything was fine. Meadow met Bella's friend, Jessica, who carried the entire conversation between the three of them. Meadow didn't like her due to her bubbly yet bitchy personality. The movie was okay; nothing special in Meadow's eyes, but entertaining, nonetheless. Everything was fine. That is, until Bella recklessly jumped on the back of some dude's motorcycle and sped off with him. Meadow was dumbfounded at her actions and wondered if she had gone mad. She looked at Jessica with a look of disbelief, silently asking if Bella did that sort of thing all the time. Jessica was just as shocked as she. When Bella returned to them, Jessica was livid and Meadow was fuming.

"What were you thinking?" Jessica snapped. "You don't know them! They could have been psychopaths!"

Bella shrugged and plainly said, "I just thought I knew the one guy."

"You are so odd, Bella Swan. I feel like I don't know who you are," Jessica said. Meadow surmised that Bella was usually not so reckless, if Jessica's reaction was anything to go by. But that pegged the question: Why is she now?

"Sorry," Bella said lamely.

What a great apology, Meadow thought sarcastically. She thought that Bella should have been more careful. After all, it wasn't just Bella there, it was Bella, Jessica, and Meadow. Putting your friends in danger by walking up to a stranger was a bad move. Even if nothing came out of it, even if nothing had happened, something still _could have_ happened. Meadow was glad she had declined Bella's offer of a ride and had driven herself. She didn't know if she would have been able to be in a car with Bella after her stunt.

A few days later, Meadow was sitting on her bed rewriting notes when there was a knock on the front door. Glancing at her door, she listened as someone - a very cheery Jacob - answered the door. Wondering why he was so excited, she rose from her bed and peeked out her door. With a scowl, she shut her door closed. Bella Swan was at her house. Meadow left her room and entered the living room to see what Bella wanted. Upon entering the room, her presence went unnoticed, causing Meadow to grow suspicious. If she didn't come for me, then what is she doing here, she wondered.

She watched as Bella placed a hand on Jacob's upper arm. Her eyes sharpened as Bella looked up at Jake through her eyelashes and sweetly smiled at him. What the hell does she think she's doing. Meadow thought angrily. There was no way she was going to let Bella Swan seduce her brother after what happened at the movies. She walked up to the pair and not-so-subtly pulled Bella from her brother.

"What are you doing here?" Meadow questioned her. She saw an alarmed look overcome Bella's features, causing her eyes to narrow further. Jacob relaxed the tension in the room by laughing.

"Relax, Bella," he said, clamping a hand down on Meadow's shoulder. "Meadow won't tell on us."

Bella's body loosened and an awkward smile graced her face. Meadow, on the other hand, refused to back down. She stared at her brother, waiting for him to elaborate.

He sighed and said, "Bella found these really cool dirt bikes. She asked me to patch 'em up! The best thing is I get to keep them!"

"Dad's going to be mad," Meadow told him.

"Which is why you're not going to say anything."

Meadow pondered over her options. She really should tell her dad, but she didn't want Jake to get in trouble. Besides, he was just fixing them up at the moment. It would be awhile until he finished both of them. So, there were a few months before he'd actually ride them. Still, she was wary of Bella's plans. It wasn't like the Swan to flirt with anyone. Besides, she was just sour the other day about her ex-boyfriend. Figuring that she could just tell on Jacob the minute he got injured, she nodded her head. Jacob whooped and grabbed Bella's hand to lead her to the garage.

I'll keep an eye on them, Meadow decided.

She left them alone for about an hour before she left her spot on the couch and checked up on them. She checked the time displayed on the clock hanging on the wall and decided to make them a couple of sandwiches. After the sandwiches were made, she grabbed two pops and made her way to the garage. Meadow breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that nothing was happening in the garage. Bella was sitting in the passenger seat of Jake's car and Jake was sitting on a cinder block to work on one of the bikes. They were lightly talking to each other and both of them stopped and looked up at Meadow when she came in. She held up the items in her hand and Jake quickly stood to free her of the weight. He thanked her and passed a sandwich and a pop to Bella. Meadow leaned against the doorway and stayed there to observe their behavior. She watched as Bella took a small bite out of her sandwich, then put it to the side. She didn't even touch her pop. After a few minutes, Jacob noticed she was still there and stopped working.

"What, MeMe?" he asked.

"How's the bike going?" she asked instead of answering him. She didn't really care all that much seeing as how she wasn't into mechanics or cars, for that matter, but she needed an excuse to stay just a little longer.

"I just started, Meadow," he said matter-of-factly. "It's nowhere near being done. Plus, there are a lot of parts this bike is going to need. I'm gonna have to take a day to go to the scrap yard to see if I can find anything."

Meadow was about to volunteer to take him, anything to get him away from Bella until she figured out what Bella's goal was, but Bella beat her to it.

"I can take you," she said.

"Are you sure?" Jake asked. "It'll be a pretty dirty job."

"Yeah. As long as go on the weekend."

"Cool," Jake said before he started working on the bike again.

"So, what parts do you need," Bella asked.

"Well, I need..." Jake's voice trailed off as Meadow left. Through her observation, Meadow couldn't conclude anything concrete. She remembered the somber mood Bella was in when she had dinner at her house and guessed that maybe Bella needed a friend. Charlie had told her that Bella needed a friend, but Meadow didn't really believe him at the time. People naturally gravitated towards Bella, so she should have many people to hang out with and talk to. But even though Meadow thought that Bella might be looking for a friend, she couldn't help but think back on Bella's subtle flirting. Either way, Meadow didn't have any answers, so she would continue her watch.

Meadow walked to the store. They had run out of cereal and milk, and Jake always needed a bowl of cereal in the morning to start his day. She rolled her eyes as she recalled a time when they were all out of cereal and Jacob threw a mini tantrum, stomping around and grumbling under his breath as he got ready for school. After that morning, Meadow always made sure there was cereal and milk for him.

She passed a playground and watched as kids chased each other and slid down slides. A pair of kids, a boy and a girl, slowly swung on the swings with their pinkies linked together, and a mother sat on a bench with a stroller in front of her. Seeing the moment brought a smile to her face. She started humming a tune her mother used to sing to her.

"That's a nice song."

Meadow's whole body flinched. She was caught off guard and stunned that someone snuck up on her. She turned towards the voice and her shocked expression quickly deadpanned. Everywhere I go, it's like he's always there, Meadow thought. Paul Lahote stood in front of her with a smile plastered on his face. He was wearing a shirt, for once, a black one that made him look even better than he already did, but jean shorts still adorned his person.

"Hey, MeMe," Paul greeted her. Meadow scowled and spun around to continue her trek to the store. Paul followed her like a lost, cocky puppy. He walked beside her, throwing his arm around her shoulders. Meadow wondered if he was developing a habit.

"Don't call me that," she said. It wasn't that she didn't like the name, she just didn't want him calling her it. Her brother and his friends called her it, so it didn't feel right hearing it come from Paul's lips.

"So what should I call you? My girlfriend?" Paul asked cheekily. Meadow faltered in her steps and glanced up at him through the corner of her eyes. Her cheeks heated up and her eyebrows knitted together.

"Quit being stupid," Meadow said.

"Is 'stupid' all you're ever going to call me?" Paul asked. "Why not 'handsome' or 'sexy'?

"You play around too much," she said while shrugging his arm off of her shoulders. This time, it was who faltered. When Meadow realized he wasn't walking beside her anymore, she looked back at him and frowned. He seemed to be in conflict with himself. He also seemed hurt by Meadow's actions. Did I hurt his feelings, Meadow questioned herself. She didn't know what to do. She turned her head to look at her destination; the store was in view and it would only take a handful of minutes to reach it. But should she leave Paul to figure out whatever he needed to figure out, or should she stay and ask him if he was okay?

"Are you okay?" she finally asked him. Her voice came out hesitantly and uncertain, like she wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. Paul looked at her in surprise. His mouth was in an 'o' shape and his eyes were slightly widened. Then, he grinned and rushed to her side.

"I'm good," he said, throwing his arm back over her shoulders. Meadow grimaced and poked the hand that was dangling close to her face.

"Are you gonna do this all the time?" she asked. He chuckled at her expense.

"Of course," he answered. "So, where are you going?"

"The store," she said while pointing at it.

"For?" he prompted her.

"Food, what else?"

Paul was quiet the rest of the way to the store. He walked beside her as she grabbed two boxes of cereal - Frosted Flakes and Honey Nut Cheerios - and a gallon of milk. She also picked up two frozen pizzas, knowing that Jake and her dad wouldn't cook while she worked the late shift on the weekend, and a loaf of bread. He was silent as they walked throughout the store, and he was silent as the items were scanned and bagged. Meadow felt uneasy in his presence. It wasn't like him to be so quiet. Meadow paid for the groceries. She reached for the bags, but Paul stopped her. He shook his head and took the bags. When they got outside of the store, Meadow decided to stop the silence.

"Paul," she said with a lilt to her voice. He glanced over at her with purse lips but said nothing to acknowledge that he heard her.

"Paul," she said more sternly. He turned towards her. He was tense and looking anywhere but at her.

"What?" he asked. It came out rough.

Meadow, taken aback, took a moment to compose herself before she started getting mad. She knew she didn't do anything to him, so why was he being so troublesome? She wished that he told her what was wrong without her having to ask him, but with his attitude, she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"What's wrong?"

He remained tense for a moment longer before he took a deep breath and slowly deflated. He sighed and finally looked her in the eyes.

"Why do you do that?" he asked her. She raised an eyebrow, indicating that she wanted him to elaborate, but he just clenched his teeth. She caved in.

"Do what?"

"That! Exactly what you just did! You act friendly to me one minute and then you shut down the next. I mean, what exactly are we, Meadow? Are we friends?" he ranted.

Meadow didn't know what to say. Honestly, she didn't really know why she was acting like that towards him. She was like that with everyone, but with Paul, it seemed to be way worse. It was like she couldn't make up her mind on whether she wanted to be his friend or not; on whether she liked him or not. In truth, she did want to be his friend. Paul was so playful and nice. It was like hanging around her family. She felt like she was home when she was around him. But she was scared.

"You don't even know," he muttered. He started walking ahead of her, leaving her behind in all of her worries. She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of stomach as she watched him go.

"Wai- Wait!" she yelled out. She ran to his side and clutched one of his arms in her hands. He stared at her with intense eyes and her breath caught in her throat. He scoffed and tried shaking her off. Instead, he shook her out of her stupor.

"Stop!" she yelled at him, causing him to do so. "I've- I've never had a friend before."

She stopped, thinking that it would be enough for him to understand. But Paul was stubborn and wanted more out of her. She squeezed his arm, silently begging him to understand, but he couldn't. Not without her using words. She looked down at her shoes and shuffled her feet. She looked back at him and said, "I had friends when I was little. But- but I haven't had a friend in a while."

She whispered the last part, almost as if she was ashamed of the fact. Gathering her wits, she finished by shyly saying, "I would like to be friends with you."

Suddenly, she was engulfed in a hug. The breath was knocked out of her and her eyes comically widened. When Paul put her down, she took a second to catch her breath while Paul picked the grocery bags up. He threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Let's get you home, friend."


	10. Chapter 10

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow watched as Jacob scooped the last remnants of his cereal bowl into his mouth. She didn't know if she should be disgusted or curious about the whole thing. He grabbed the cereal box for another helping but put it down when he realized it was empty.

"Honestly, Jake. You have to stop eating so much," Meadow said. "I only get so much money every two weeks and Dad only gets allowance from the tribe. You're gonna eat us out of the house."

He wiped a line of milk off his mouth and said, "Sorry, MeMe. I'm just so hungry. I feel like I could eat a whole house and not be satisfied!"

"Well, why don't you go and do that instead of eating all the food in the house," Meadow said. She ran a hand through her short tendrils and sighed as she realized she would have to go shopping again. She had just gone about four days ago. Usually, she'd only have to go once every two weeks, but Jake's appetite was out of control!

"I said I was sorry!" Jake yelled. Meadow shrank a little at the ferocity he displayed. The amount of anger and the suddenness of it surprised her and she didn't know how to take it. Just then, her dad rolled into the kitchen.

"What's going on?" he asked. Meadow shrugged, but he wasn't paying attention to her. He was staring at Jake with a knowing look in his eyes. It was the same look he got when Meadow explained what was going on with Paul. She narrowed her eyes at him and wondered what else he was keeping from her. Her dad turned to her and examined her. What he was looking for, Meadow couldn't say. But she knew he was looking for something.

"Jake's eating too much," Meadow explained.

"He's a growing boy," he dad said. "He needs all the nutrients he can get."

"Yeah, a whole box of Frosted Flakes is the exact nutrients he needs," Meadow said sarcastically.

"I'll see if I can get my allowance bumped up so you can go food shopping again," her dad told her. Meadow stared at him incredulously. Instead of trying to side track Jake's bad eating habits, he was going to just ask for more money? She didn't understand why he would do that. She wanted to protest, but was scared to do so. Would he understand this time, Meadow questioned herself. She opened her mouth and closed it. She bit her lip hard enough that she tasted a hint of copper.

"Dad, I don't think you should do that."

She cringed as she realized she sounded defiant. She didn't think it would come out in that way, but apparently she had misjudged how emotionally wrecked she was. Gathering her wits, she continued, "I mean, I know Jake is going through this weird growth spurt, but Jake really shouldn't be eating this much. It's not healthy for him."

"Just worry about yourself, Meadow," Jake spit out. She was hurt by his animosity, but ignored otherwise ignored him as she waited for her dad to acknowledge what she said.

"I'll worry about Jake for now on, Meadow," her dad said. He leveled her with a gaze before he left the room. Soft eyes stared at him as he left and even after his form was not in sight. She felt defeated. She'd looked after Jake for so long, long enough to know when there was something wrong with him. How could he expect her to let him worry about Jake when she had been doing it ever since the twins left? How could he just brush her off like that? Her gaze sharpened and her teeth clenched together. She was mad. How could he dump Jake on her all those years just to dismiss her worries about him. She knew his inside and out. She knew his favorite cereal, his favorite color, his least favorite ice cream flavor, his dreams, his secrets. Heck, she even knew all the sizes of his clothes! She knew her brother. She knew him because she spent so much time with him. Because she practically raised him.

She marched out of the room, searching for her dad. She wouldn't take such a dismissal. Not today. Not from him. She found him outside. He was talking to Sam. Jared and Paul were beside them. Instead of wondering why the hell the three of them were outside the house talking to her father, she marched up to her dad and positioned herself between the two men talking. She stared her dad down and waited until he matched her gaze.

"Meadow, now is not the time. We will talk later," he said with an edge to his voice.

"No. You are going to listen to me. Right. Now," she gritted out.

"Meadow," her dad said, but she cut him off before he could continue.

"No. Because if we wait until later, you won't listen. So, I'm going to take my chances and say what's on my mind," she said angrily. He stared into her eyes for quite some time before he sighed and motioned for her to rant.

"Maybe we should go," Jared said uneasily.

"You can stay," her dad said. "This shouldn't take long."

"Whether you leave or stay, I couldn't care less. Just shut up and don't interrupt me," Meadow said harshly. She had waited so long to tell her dad off. Years. And now she had the opportunity. She wasn't going to let anyone interfere.

"Meadow," Paul said, grabbing her attention. "Maybe you should cool down first."

"Coming from the guy who can't control his own temper, she retorted. Paul stilled and a grim frown marred his features. Meadow knew she was being mean, she knew she shouldn't be taking her anger out on everyone there. But she didn't care. For once, she didn't care.

"You haven't taken care of Jake or me since mom died," she started her rant. "And after Rebecca and Rachel left, I've had to take care of Jake. Me. Not you, the parent, but me, the sister. I took care of him even when I didn't know how to take care of myself. That's been my role almost my entire life! And now you think you can just come in and stop all of that? That's bullshit! Jake has been my responsibility for as long as I can remember. I've clothed him, fed him, helped him when he was sick, helped him with his homework. Everything! I've been everything to him that I've ever wanted out of you and mom!"

"Meadow, I am Jacob's parent. I get the final say on anything to do with him," her dad evenly.

"Oh, that's so rich!" Meadow yelled as spit flew out of her mouth. "Did you get the final say when he needed permission for a field trip? Did you get the final say when he asked to go camping? Did you get the final say when he wanted to start working on cars and bikes? Did you get the final say when the teachers either wanted him to repeat 7th grade or do summer school? No! It was me! I had the final say, and I am having the final say with this matter, as well. You aren't asking for more allowance from the council, meaning Jake's either gonna have to change his eating habits or eat somewhere else."

Meadow pivoted on her heel and marched back into the house. She was fuming, but her hands were sweaty and her nerves were shot. She felt like a huge relief had left a spot empty for the new stress that came with her actions. Sure, she could have gone at it a different way, but she wouldn't have been able to get her feelings out. Gosh, it's been so long since I've done that, she thought. It was exhilarating. She stomped to her room and slammed the door shut.

Of course, the feeling didn't last long, and, of course, there were consequences. She was lectured for almost two hours about her behavior, especially since it was in front of others. She took it silently and without question. The whole time, she couldn't help but feel like she should have just kept her mouth shut. When he was done with his lecture, he left her by herself in the living room to think over her actions. Instead of staying in the tense house, she ventured to the beach where she knew she could find some peace of mind. It was chilly outside, but she barely felt the harsh wind on her bare arms.

Yes, Meadow thought as she stared out at the darkening ocean water, the warm sunset, and the few birds flying in the sky, this is paradise. She found a log big enough to sit on and dragged it over to a spot where she could marvel at it all. When the sun finally disappeared and the only light came from the stars, she stood up and stretched. Suddenly, a wolf howled in the distance, causing her to pause. Paranoid, she observed her surroundings. Her eyes stopped on a figure on the outskirts of the tree line. She couldn't make out any of its features except for its pale skin, which seemed to contrast against its dark environment.

Meadow took a step forward, but stopped when she heard three more howls. They were closer this time. The figure darted off so fast that Meadow could hardly believe her eyes. One second it was there, and the next it was gone. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the spot again. Nothing was there. Maybe she was imagining things. She began to turn around but stopped when she heard a rustle in the bushes. She tensed, ready to run depending on what came out. She clenched and unclenched her hands and shifted from one foot to the other.

"Hey, MeMe," Embry said as he popped out of the bushes.

"Embry," Meadow said.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked. "It's not safe to be out here after dark."

Meadow shrugged her shoulders. She shivered when a particularly nasty breeze bit into her skin. She crossed her arms and rubbed her hands over them, trying to get warm.

"You didn't even bring a jacket," he said with a frown in his voice. "It's the middle of January. You're gonna get sick."

He walked up to her and threw an arm around her shoulders, reminding her of Paul. The heat emanating from his body was welcome and Meadow snuggled herself further into Embry's side. She was a little tense. She remembered Embbry's confession and didn't want to imply that she liked him by pressing herself close to him, but, at the same time, she was really cold. Meadow caught a small smile on his face and inwardly cursed.

"So, what were you doing out here?" he asked. She decided not to answer him. She didn't want to talk about it. She came out there to clear her mind. And she did, for a moment.

"Not talking to me? Understandable, especially after the last time we talked," he said.

They walked in silence for a bit before he said, "I meant it, y'know. I do like you, MeMe."

He stopped them and turned her to look at him. He searched her eyes for something she didn't think was there. His search must have come up empty because disappointment showed through eyes. But then they grew determined. He bent his head and leaned in. Meadow's heart raced as she realized what he was about to do. He was about to steal her first kiss. Frozen, Meadow watched as he grew closer and closer. When his lips were a breath away from hers, she snapped out of it and pushed him away. He backed away from her.

"I'm sorry, Embry," she said as she looked away from him. She walked by him without glancing at him to get home. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. She glared at him for his actions.

"It's because of him isn't it," he said more than asked. He was shaking and his jaw was clenched. "It's because of Paul."

"Paul and I are friends," Meadow told him.

"It doesn't matter!" Embry roared.

"Embry, calm down," Meadow said shakily.

"It had to be him," Embry said, talking more to himself than to Meadow. Meadow watched as Embry paced back and forth. All she desperately wanted to do now was get home and crawl under her warm sheets. She didn't care if she felt uncomfortable there, she just wanted to get away from Embry.

"He doesn't deserve you," he said as he turned to her. "But I do! He doesn't know you like I do, MeMe!"

"But, you don't really know me," Meadow said. Embry paused at that, waiting for her to elaborate, but she didn't have to. She knew that, and so did he. She knew she never told him anything personal or trivial, really. He didn't know her favorite color, her favorite thing to do, her favorite food, or her favorite movie. He didn't know what bugs she hated, what food made her want to barf, or what subject she had the most trouble in. She knew it. He knew it. 

"I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day," Jacob apologized. "I didn't mean it, I swear! This feeling just came over me."

"It's fine," Meadow said bluntly. She was still hurt by it, but that was because she tended to hold on to things longer than most people. She was sensitive, in that aspect.

"Um," Jake said unsure, "I finished the bikes yesterday. Bella and I are taking them for a ride today. D'ya want to come?"

"You finished them already?" Meadow asked incredulously. She didn't think he'd finish them so soon. Not that she didn't have faith in her brother's skills, but from what she gathered, he had to put some serious work into them.

"Yeah!" Jake exclaimed. "They run really good."

Meadow thought about going with them. She could keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't get hurt or she could stay home and finish the new book she bought. She really wanted to finish the book, but the image of Bella riding on a motorcycle made her remember the incident at the movie theater. She made up her mind.

They rode in Bella's old truck. Bella drove, Meadow sat in the middle, Jake sat by the window, and the bikes were strapped down in the back of the truck. It was a silent ride to the cliff. Awkward. Meadow was still wary from the last time she hung around Bella. Breaking the silence, Jake said, "Where should we ride next? After we ride here, I mean."

"Someplace sunny," Bella replied.

Jacob snorted and said, "Like there's any place sunny around here."

"I know a place above the cloud line," Bella said before she grew quiet. Meadow looked at her from the corner of her eyes and saw regret flicker across Bella's face.

"Where is it?" Jacob asked, completely oblivious.

"Actually," Bella said, "it's too hard to get to."

Not letting the obstacle deter him, Jake smiled and said, "So, we'll just have to find our own sunny spot. Right?"

Bella smiled gratefully and looked out the side window.

"Isn't that Sam Uley?" she asked out of the blue. Meadow whipped her head in Bella's direction and looked in the direction she was staring. She noticed four men standing on a rocky ledge of the cliff. They wore nothing but cut-off shorts. They were pushing each other roughly, but laughing all the same. Meadow zeroed in on one figure. Paul. She didn't know how she could recognize him from where she was, or how Bella could recognize Sam, but she could. And she did.

"And his cult," Jake bit out bitterly. Meadow sighed as she knew where the conversation was going. Suddenly, Paul and Sam threw Jared, who was struggling, over the cliff. Bella slammed on the breaks, jumped out of the truck and yelled, "Oh my god! Stop them!"

Jake jumped out of the truck after her, causing Meadow to follow suit. Bella ran towards them, but Jacob's laughter slowed her down.

"They're cliff diving, Bella. They're not really fighting," he explained.

"What, on purpose?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Jake said easily. "Scary as hell, but a total rush."

They watched as Paul glanced up at them, as if noticing their eyes. He made eye contact with Meadow and smirked. He took a running start and flung himself into the air, twisting and cartwheeling down into the water. Meadow rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Most of us jump from lower down," Jacob said.

"Think I could?" Bella asked with a glint of something dangerous in her eyes.

"Man," Jake said, "first motorcycles, now cliff diving? Who are you and what have you done with Bella?"

"You said it was a rush," Bella supplied. Jacob thought about it before he replied.

"Maybe on a warmer day, and definitely not from the top. We'll leave the showing off to Sam and his disciples," he caved. He said it with such malice that Meadow thought he could kill Sam with his words.

"You don't like them," Bella observed.

"They think they run this place. They act all badass and call themselves "protectors"."

"Watch your language," Meadow scolded him.

"What are they protecting?" Bella asked, ignoring Meadow.

"The tribe, the land, their right to be jerks. Embry used to call them hall monitors on steroids, but look at him now," Jake said. He gestured towards the last two guys on the cliff. One of them was Embry.

"That's Embry? I didn't recognize him. What happened to him?" Bella asked.

"He missed some school. Then, out of nowhere, he started following Sam around. The same thing happened with Paul and Jared. They weren't even friends and now it's like Sam owns him," Jake said.

"Sam keeps giving me this look, like he's waiting for me or something. It's kinda freaking me out," he continued.

"Maybe you should just avoid them," Bella suggested.

"I try, but between dad's meetings with Sam and Paul's infatuation with Meadow...." he trailed off. Meadow gave him a sharp look, instinctively knowing that Bella wasn't allowed to know about any of that.

Bella hugged him to reassure him and said, "If it gets worse we'll go to my dad, or you can stay with us."

"Thanks," Jacob said as he held her. Meadow felt like she was intruding on an intimate moment between the two of them and wondered just how close the two of them were. She was snapped out of her stupor when Bella playfully shoved him away and headed back towards the truck. 


	11. Chapter 11

** Third P.O.V. **

Meadow was bored as she watched Jacob teach Bella how to ride the motorcycle. It was fun watching how flustered Bella was at the idea of actually riding it, but they didn't interact with her much, causing her to feel left out. She was sitting on the dirt road, not caring that her pants were getting dirty from the dust and pebbles. She debated on whether she should leave them by themselves and go venture somewhere else. It wouldn't be the first time she's done something similar, so she knew Jake wouldn't care if she just disappeared.

"You look scared," Jake said. Meadow swiveled her head and observed her two companions. Bella was straddling the motorcycle while Jake was holding on to the handlebars. Their faces were inches apart.

"I'm not," Bella said. She's lying, Meadow thought. Judging by the skeptical look on Jake's face, he wasn't buying it, either. Meadow listened intently as Jake pointed out the important parts of the bike - the parts that allowed Bella to ride it - and asked Bella to identify them. Brake, clutch, gas. After Bella correctly identified all three, Jacob grinned and kick-started the bike. It roared to life, and Meadow had to cover her ears from the thunderous noise.

"Slowly release the clutch," he told Bella. Bella does as instructed and the bike moves forward an inch. Jake cautiously stepped back from the bike as she moved forward another inch. Suddenly, her hand slipped off of the clutch and the bike bucked. It fell on top of her, causing her to groan in pain. Jake quickly lifted it off of her and asks, "Are you okay? Bruises, breaks-?"

"I'm going again," Bella interrupts him. Meadow frowned at her tenacity.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Jake said to no avail. Bella stood up as quickly as she could and hopped back onto the bike. Meadow sighed at the idiocy of it all.

"I know you just started, but you should take a break," Meadow said. She wasn't about to let Bella break a bone or get a concussion from her stubbornness.

"Guess we're going again," Jake mumbled out exasperatedly. "Now, what are you going to do with the clutch?"

"Release it. Slowly," Bella responded. Jake nodded and kick-started the bike again. With no hesitation, Bella released it and moved forward. She moved slowly, at first, and then shot off down the road. Meadow watched as Bella shot down the road. Her eyebrows raised in astonishment and she wondered where all of Bella's hesitation went.

"How do I turn?" Bella suddenly yelled out. Meadow realized that she was headed towards a curve in the road and Jacob had never taught her how to turn. Meadow figured all you had to do was turn the handlebars, but she'd never ridden a motorcycle before so she couldn't be sure.

"Bank it!" Jake yelled. "Bank - hit the brake!"

He raced towards Bella as she doesn't bank or brake and flies through a wall of trees. Meadow rushed after him. She knew it was a bad idea from the start, but that wasn't really the time to start gloating. Instead, she kneeled by Bella's side and checked her over for injuries. The only visible one she saw was on her head. She was bleeding.

"What, are you training for the X-games?" Jake asked, trying to find humor in the situation.

Bella looked around before she said, "I want to go again."

"No," Meadow automatically responded.

"I don't have to listen to you," Bella said with a glare aimed at Meadow.

"Forget it," Jake cut in. "I'm revoking your motorcycle privileges. Man, look at your head."

Jake pulled off his shirt to mop up the blood dribbling down her face. Bella shrank away in embarrassment.

"God, I'm sorry," she said.

"You're apologizing for bleeding?" Jake asked.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"It's just blood, Bella. No biggie," Jake said easily.

He bent over her body to carefully tend to her head. Bella looked him over. Meadow observed as Bella's eyes drifted over her brother's bare chest. Bella likes my brother, Meadow concluded. She frowned at the revelation. She was so protective of her brother that the thought of him dating someone peeved her.

"What are you staring at?" Jake asked Bella.

"Just, you're actually....good looking," Bella confessed. Jake was overcome with surprise before he smiled at her.

"How hard did you hit your head?" he asked.

"Oh, I. Yeah," Bella stumbled over her words. Jake offered her hand to help her up and Bella took it with ease. When she stood straight up, she unclasped her hand from his, and with an alarmed face, said, "Jake, you're hot."

Meadow snorted in amusement.

"Upgraded from good looking?" Jacob asked cheekily.

"No, I meant temperature wise," Bella said as she put a hand to his forehead. "You're burning up."

Alarmed, Meadow maneuvered Bella out of the way and placed her hand on his forehead. Indeed, his skin was scorching and she hissed as it burned her skin to hold it there for more than a moment. She looked him over for any other signs of sickness, but there weren't any. His eyes weren't glazed over or sagging or red, he wasn't excessively sweating, he wasn't swaying on his feet. Hell, besides the fever, he was perfectly normal. So, when Jake told them that he felt fine, she believed him.

"Jake, I think we need to go home. Now," Meadow said with authority in her voice. She was not up for debates. Why the hell did he have a fever when he felt fine? It didn't make sense.

Jacob ignored her as he grabbed Bella's hand again. Meadow grew irritated with her brother and was about to pull him away from Bella to lecture him about taking care of himself when Bella pulled away from him.

"What, I can't hold your hand?" Jake asked Bella.

"It just means something else to you than it does to me," Bella explained. Meadow wondered what she was talking about. Just a moment ago, Bella was admitting that she was attracted to him, and now she wasn't?

"One, that's my problem," Jake started, "But two...we have fun, you think I'm hot-"

"Good looking," Bella interrupted him. Meadow felt like she was invading a private moment meant only for the two of them.

"I know you like me," Jake stated.

"More than anyone. But...that's all," Bella confirmed.

"Because of Cullen?" Jake asked bitterly. So she was still hung up on her ex-boyfriend, Meadow thought.

"Look," Jake started, "I know what he did to you. I can see it in your face every time his name comes up. But you need to know that I would never, ever do that to you. I promise I will never hurt you. You can count on me."

"I already do," Bella confessed. "You don't know how much. You're my best friend, but I don't think my feelings will ever change."

Jake took a step back from Bella, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. Meadow worried for him. He was taking it hard. It would be his first rejection, his first heart-break. She'd help him through it, like a big sister was supposed to do. She walked up to him and rubbed his back in comfort.

"I'm sorry. I should've said something right from the start," Bella said.

"It's not your fault, Bella," Meadow said.

"No. That's not it. I just feel....weird," Jake said.

"I told you, you have a fever. Probably that flu everyone has," Bella said.

"It doesn't feel like the flu. I don't know what it is," Jake said, obviously rattled. Meadow pulled Jake to her and engulfed him a hug, ignoring the heat that his body gave off.

"Let's get you home," she said. She motioned for Bella to push grab the motorcycle. When they neared the truck, Meadow told Jake to sit inside while she loaded the bike in the back. She instructed Bella to start the car. Bella let Meadow slide into the middle seat of the truck and hopped in after her to drive away. Meadow rolled down the passenger side's window to allow some air to come through. Jake leaned his head against the window frame and looked miserable.

When they got back to the house, Bella jumped out to let Meadow out. Meadow helped Bella unload the motorcycle and put it in the garage before she walked over to Jake's side of the car and opened the door. She helped him step out of the car and allowed him to lean against her. She grunted under the extra weight but stood as tall as she could to support him. She thanked Bella for her help and helped Jake into the house. They stumbled into the house, alarming their dad. Meadow looked at him helplessly, not knowing what to do.

A familiar gaze entered her dad's eyes as he seemed to understand what was going on. He told her to take him into his room and lay him down on his bed. She did as she was told and watched as Jake curled up as much as he could on his bed. He seemed to engulf it. Her dad shut the door to the room. The last image Meadow saw of him was his face screwed up in pain and sweat dripping down his face.

The sound of the door closing shut snapped her out of her stupor and she instantly went to the kitchen to start making some soup. She rushed to grab the ingredients, accidentally dropping a glass in the process. A hand stilled her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting out the breath in a shuddering motion. She sought out her dad's comfortable warmth. He held her for some time, rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"He's okay, my little flower," her dad reassured her.

"I know," Meadow said shakily. "I just can't help but worry about him. About you. You're the only family I have left."

"We aren't going anywhere anytime soon."

Meadow took a minute to gather herself before she pulled back from the hug and wiped her tears. She grabbed a broom from the hallway closet and started cleaning up the glass on the floor. When she was done, she started making the soup. I didn't take her long. About half an hour later, she was scooping it in three individual bowls. She gave one to her dad when she passed him on her way to Jacob's room and set her own bowl down on one of the end tables in the living room. She knocked on Jake's door - tap tap tap - before she opened it just a sliver to peek in. He was awake asleep. His face was still screwed up in pain and his bed sheets were drenched with sweat. Meadow sighed as she placed the bowl on his bedside table and sat on the floor beside his head. She brushed the hair out of his face and watched him for some time before she got up to open his window to cool down the room. She left him, closing his bedroom door softly.

She walked into the living room to eat. She noticed that her dad wasn't in the spot he was before. She listened for any movement or sound and perked up when she heard his voice flowing from the kitchen. She crept along the wall to listen in on his conversation.

".....he's running a fever.....I think he's next to shift......Yes, can you come by?.....Yes, bring him with you, too....."

Meadow rushed to a spot on the couch and acted natural. A minute later, her dad rolled into the room. He didn't look suspicious or like he knew she was listening in on her conversation, which relieved her. Her mind was running a mile a minute at the information she got. It wasn't much, but it was enough to confirm that her dad knew what was happening. Next to shift? What does that mean, Meadow wondered. What was shifting? And what was it shifting into? Based on context, Meadow deduced that Jake was the one shifting, but into what, she couldn't be sure. And how could he shift into anything? Maybe he was just shifting into another stage of the flu? Her musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. She stood up to answer it and was surprised to see Sam and Paul standing there.

"Yes?" she asked, wanting to know why he was there. Wait, could Sam be the person my dad was talking to on the phone, Meadow questioned.

"I'm here to talk to Billy," Sam answered. Meadow nodded her head and widened the opening of the door. She stepped to the side and let them in. She followed them into the living room, where she sat down and finished off her meal. She instantly noticed the tension in the room when she wasn't occupied by her food and tensed herself. She glanced at her dad, first, then Sam, and finally, Paul. He motioned for her to follow him outside. She looked to her dad for confirmation, and when he nodded his head in agreement, she grabbed a jacket from the coat closet and left the house with Paul.

He threw an arm around her shoulders, and for the first time in a while, she noticed the heat coming off of him. She glanced up at him with a curious gaze. He met her stare and looked away in confliction.

"What's happening to my brother?" she asked bluntly. She wanted, no, needed answers. And she knew he knew, or else he wouldn't have come to her house.

"I don't know," Paul answered hoarsely.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Tell me what's going on. I have a right to know."

"I can't," Paul said quietly.

"You can't or you won't?"

"I can't!" Paul shouted. "I'm not allowed to tell you, not until...."

"Not until what?"

"Not until you're ready."

"How will you know when I'm ready. You aren't me," Meadow said hotly.

"Your dad says you're not ready to know, and so does Sam," Paul said.

"So Jake was right, huh? You just follow Sam's orders like a puppy," Meadow said.

"I follow what's right," Paul said loudly. He was shaking and his face was red with anger.

Meadow scoffed and stormed away from him. She stopped at a random place to calm down. She cursed herself as she realized she had been more agitated than normal lately. She froze when a hold snaked its way around her shoulders. She tried pushing it away, still mad at their argument, but was not successful.

"When I asked if we were friends and implied that I wanted you to open up to me more, I didn't mean this," Paul joked. Meadow rolled her eyes and let a small smile slip onto her face. She huffed out a breath and relaxed her shoulders.

"Well, friend. Why'd you show up at my house?" Meadow asked.

"To spend some time with you," Paul answered easily. Meadow's heart raced in her chest at those words. She bit her lip and looked at the ground, trying to hide a bigger smile from gracing her face. However, Paul saw it and lifted her chin with his fingers. He stared into her eyes and said, "Trying to hide from me?"

"No," Meadow muttered.

"Hmm..doesn't seem that way," Paul hummed out. He leaned closer to her, his face so close to her that she could feel his breath hit her skin. Her breathing hitched as his lips skimmed her cheek. She didn't know if she wanted to pull him close or push him away. So, instead, she blurted out, "Where did you want to hang out?"

Paul faltered before he collected himself and grinned. He seemed proud of an achievement Meadow could not pinpoint....and didn't want to pinpoint out of embarrassment.

"Well, I was thinking we could head to Port Angeles for the rest of today? Maybe go see a movie or something," Paul said.

"It's getting late..." Meadow trailed off. She didn't want to leave Jake's side longer than necessary.

"It's only five. Besides, Jake will be okay. He has your dad and Sam came over to help out, too."

"I don't know," Meadow said.

"C'mon. There won't be any harm in it. You'll be back by Jake's side in no time."

Meadow hesitated for a second before she reluctantly agreed.

"It's a date, then," Paul said cheekily.

"A date?" Meadow squeaked out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Third P.O.V.**

Meadow sat in Paul's car with her knees facing the passenger side door and her head against the window. She ignored the moments when her head banged against the window with a low _thud_ due to the bumpiness of the road. The car was silent as Paul drove them somewhere to grab a bite to eat. Meadow had been against getting food, seeing as how she just ate a bowl of soup, but even she couldn't hide the incessant rumbling of her stomach. She was still hungry. She glanced at Paul when the car stopped and caught his eye. He smiled and gestured for her to follow him out of the car.

She looked at the building in front of them and noticed that it was The Lodge, a restaurant she had been dragged to on more than one occasion to celebrate with her dad and Charlie. Paul opened the door to the restaurant for her, so she stepped through the door first. They were seated across from each other, meaning it would be hard for Meadow to avoid eye contact with him. When they ordered their food and the waiter left them to talk, Paul grabbed her hands in his, causing her to look at him.

"Tell me about yourself," he said.

"What?" Meadow asked.

"Tell me about yourself: what are your likes, your dislikes, your hobbies. Those sorts of things," he elaborated.

"Um...I don't.....I mean....."

"How about I go first, then?"

Meadow nodded her head and listened to him list his favorite and least-liked things. She used his example as a template for her own response.

"I like the forest and going to bonfires. I hate cold things and taking orders, but you gotta do what you gotta do. For hobbies, well, I usually just hang out with Sam and Jared," Paul listed. He looked at her expectedly and motioned for her to answer.

"I like reading and....sweet things."

"Like candy?" Paul interrupted. He gave her a sheepish smile when he realized what he did.

"Chocolate and ice cream," Meadow corrected him.

"And your dislikes?"

"Being lied to, people who mess with my brother and his friends."

"You're really defensive when it comes to Jacob," Paul observed cautiously. Meadow shrugged her shoulders and looked away from Paul as the waiter placed their drinks on the table and informed them their food would be right out. She took a sip of Sprite before she said anything else.

"For hobbies, I like to, well, read and go to the beach," she finished.

"I see you at the beach all the time," he said absentmindedly. Meadow rose an eyebrow and watched as he started to backtrack when he noticed the things his words insinuated. She stopped him when he continued to ramble.

"I forgot to mention that I also don't like rambling," she said. He let out a nervous chuckle and frowned afterwards. He sighed and scrubbed the back of his head, mussing up the hair at the back of his head.

"I guess I didn't leave the best impression at Sue's diner, then," he said.

"Not really," Meadow said bluntly. His frown deepened. She felt like she should say something after that, but hesitated. Picking at her nails, she said nervously, "But you weren't that bad."

He perked up after that. With his confidence back, he joked, "You sure about that? You came at me, Sam, and Jared the day after that."

Meadow scowled but smiled at the memory. I did come at them pretty hard, didn't I, she mused. She giggled at the startled looks they had had on their faces when she had stormed up to them.

"I'm not sure, but I think it was a misunderstanding," Meadow said.

"You think?" Paul said, using playful incredulity.

"I haven't figured it out yet, but I'm still missing something," she said with her brows scrunched together. She relaxed when she felt his hand on top of hers. She looked into his dark brown eyes and let his words wash over her, cleansing her of her frustration.

"Hey, you'll figure it out soon."

Meadow pulled her hand out from under his when the waiter showed up with their food. Swiftly, she started eating her fires, only to burn her tongue. She made a face and continued to eat the fry. When she swallowed it, she took a swig of her pop. The waiter apologized and warned them about the warmth the food held before he left. She pouted as she realized their date would take longer than she wanted it to.

"I'm sure the food will cool down soon," Paul said to reassure her.

"I'm just worried about Jake...." she trailed off, thinking about the condition her little brother was in the last time she saw him.

"Billy and Sam are taking care of him," Paul said.

"That's what I'm worried about," she said. She chewed on her bottom lip as she debated with herself on whether she should mention what she heard earlier or not. He was Sam's close friend, which meant that he was more likely to tell Sam than to keep it a secret. But he was her only friend, and she didn't know who to go to. For once, she wanted to confide in someone.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked as he sensed her hesitancy. When she didn't answer him, he grasped her hand in his and said, "Please tell me."

She sighed. She stared at their conjoined hands before she squeezed his and said, "I.....overheard some things my dad said while he was on the phone."

Paul tensed and said, "Like what?"

"I....."

"You can tell me, Meadow," Paul said while looking sincerely in her eyes. Seeing nothing but truth in his eyes, she told him.

"Well, he said Jake was sick and that he was next to...shift?" she said uncertainty. She still couldn't make out what her dad had meant, but it didn't sound good. She worried for Jake. Opposite her, Paul was quiet. She noticed it and wondered what he could possibly know. Should I have kept it to myself, she questioned herself. She was about to question him when he said, "If it was anything bad, I'd let you know, Meadow."

Satisfied with his response, she started eating her food before it got cold. They ate in silence for a bit, which made Meadow happy. She hated eating and talking at the same time because she felt pressured to eat quickly.

"I've been wondering for some time now..." Paul said out of nowhere, shocking Meadow out of her mind. She looked at him questioningly and urged him to continue.

"...how big your crush on me was," he concluded with a cheeky smile. Meadow blushed but scowled to hide it. She did not want to keep the conversation going if that was what he wondered about. She wasn't ready to tell him about her weirdly persistent crush, especially since she had yet to figure out what was going on with her brother and her dad.

"Next inquiry," she said with haste. He laughed at her expense and leaned forward, setting his arms on the table and pushing his face closer to hers. She leaned back in her chair, though she couldn't get far because her chair was pushed in as far as it could go and the table was so small. She gulped as his face drew closer to hers until they were a breath away.

"If you answer yes to this next question, can I kiss you?"

She barely heard his voice over her beating heart. Her breathing came out rugged and short, causing her to feel light-headed. Seemingly in a trance, Meadow nodded her head. Paul tsked and said, "I need a verbal answer, Meadow."

"Yes," she said. She always wondered what it would be like to kiss someone, to feel someone else's lips on hers. She would take the chance. If his next question required a 'no', then she could sigh in relief and would survive another day of Paul's shenanigans If his next question required a 'yes', then she would finally get to kiss someone. She waited for him to ask her the next question, but all she got was a smirk. And then he leaned in.

Her eyes widened and her mouth refused to move in shock. He was kissing her. Meadow felt the softness of lips caress hers in a sweet kiss that made her head spin. His mouth probed her to move, to reciprocate the kiss, but she was paralyzed. Paul placed one last, chaste kiss on her lips before he pulled away with a shit-eating grin. He watched as emotions flit across her eyes.

Gaining her voice, Meadow asked, "What happened to the question?"

She sounded breathy and surprised. She practically yelled the question.

"I already asked the question," he said. Meadow thought back and realized that he did, in fact, ask her a question. He had tricked her.

"You," she said before she closed her mouth, opened it, and closed it again. Paul continued eating, never losing the wide smile on his face. Meadow sat leaning against the back of her chair. A blush was covering her cheeks and she refused to look at Paul. She couldn't get the feel of his lips out of her mind. It was an intoxicating feeling. And she wanted to experience it again. Paul tried to make light conversation, but Meadow was still dazed from the kiss earlier. Paul sighed and wondered if she would behave that way every time they kissed. He briefly wondered what she would do if he asked her to be his girlfriend. About five minutes after the event, Meadow snapped out of her day-dreaming and started eating again. When Paul suggested they go to the movies afterwards, she declined. She didn't think she could handle being near him for much longer.

Meadow's hand stilled on the door handle as a loud howl rang throughout the air. It was so close and so powerful it shook the car. She was scared, but she was also concerned. The howl sounded full of pain and sorrow. She almost felt for the wild creature. Worriedly, she glanced at Paul to see what he would do, but he continued to sit in the car. So, she decided for herself that she was going to get out of the car and go into the house where it would be relatively safer. The car door opened and her foot touched the pavement, but she was stopped from getting out.

"Get off of me," Meadow said in a quiet voice laced with malice and warning. He didn't listen to her and kept his hand secured around her wrist. He pulled her back in the car and slammed the door shut.

"Don't," he warned seriously. She snatched her wrist from him and opened the car door again. She stepped out before he could repeat his previous actions and said, "Here's another dislike: I hate when people play tug of war with me without my permission."

She slammed the door and ran into the house. The noise of the front door slamming shut alerted her dad, who was looking out the living room window. He turned abruptly and narrowed his eyes imperceptibly.

"What are doing home so soon, Meadow?" he asked.

"I decided I didn't want to go to the movies," she said shortly. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," he said as he closed the curtain and barricaded it with his body. Meadow placed a hand on her hip and popped her hip out. She raised an eyebrow and stared him down.

"I respect you, dad, because of who you are, but you of all people know I hate liars," she said.

"I'm aware."

"Then, why do you keep lying to me?" she asked him hotly.

"We've had this conversation before, Meadow. There are things you don't need to know, yet."

"You keep saying that, but all I hear is bullshit coming out of your mouth!" she yelled.

"Enough, Meadow!" Billy yelled back sternly. "I will not have you disrespect like some child. Now, go to your room."

"You won't have me disrespect you like some child, but you'll treat me like one. Makes total sense," she bit back.

"I said, 'Go to your room'!"

Meadow swiveled on her heels and stalked to her room. She placed a hand on her doorknob before she changed her mind and pivoted so she faced Jacob's room. She opened it, expecting to see her younger brother asleep, but the sight that met her alarmed her. The covers were thrown across the room and the bed was empty. She rushed to the living room and yelled out, "Where is Jake?"

Startled, her dad turned in his chair and said, "I had Sam take him to Sue's."

"Was it that bad?" she asked worriedly. Just then, the door slammed open and Jake walked in with Sam and Paul in tow. All three of them were in a pair of jean shorts. She dashed to his side and enveloped him in a hug. She pulled back with a frown.

"You're still running a fever," she observed. "Maybe you should put some warmer clothes on."

"I'm fine, MeMe," Jake said easily. But Meadow could detect the hard edge in his voice.

"I think you should go and lay down," she said softly. He brushed her off and headed to the kitchen, causing her shoulders to sag and her head to lower. She muttered under her breath and took off towards her room. A hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"What?!" she screamed out. "Why do you keep stopping me?"

She thought it was Paul, who was notorious for stopping her actions, but it wasn't. It was Sam.

"We need to know what you know," he said.

"What are you talking about?" she asked with narrowed eyes. She moved her eyes to sweep over Paul and noticed how rigid he was. He avoided eye contact, looking anywhere but at her. He told, she thought as her mouth popped open and her eyes accused him. Her mouth set into a hard line and she refrained from shouting at him.

"You told," she accused him.

"I had no choice," he said sorrowfully. "I would never betray you like that Meadow."

"You're lying," she said as tears welled in her eyes. "You're a liar."

"Meadow-"

"I should have known," she spat out. "You've continuously lied to me since the diner."

"Meadow, please. Let me explain," he strained out. He reached a hand out towards her, trying to make contact with her and pull her into his arms. But she stepped back out of his reach.

"You're not my friend anymore, Paul," she said menacingly. "And if you ever try to kiss me again, you'll regret it."

She hid herself away in her room. Distantly, she heard the sound of the men arguing in the living room before she closed herself off from the world. She knew she wasn't ready. She couldn't trust anyone, it seemed, except for herself. And now Jake was shrugging her off like she meant nothing. It hurt. This is what I get for showing myself, for caring, she thought.


	13. Chapter 13

**Third P.O.V.**

Meadow refused to look at Jacob the next morning. She figured that if she didn’t try to talk to him or interact with him, then she wouldn’t be in trouble of getting her feelings hurt. She walked into the kitchen with her head down and her hair covering most of her face. She poured herself a cup of apple juice and popped some bread in the toaster. She wanted a relatively quick breakfast. Jacob gave her a questioning look, probably wondering why she was acting so weird, but he didn’t bother to ask her what was wrong.

He ended up observing her for a mere few seconds before shrugging his shoulders and continuing to eat. She briefly wished that Jake would start the conversation like he always did and ask her what they would do for the day, but she buried it deep within her mind. He wasn’t the same Jake he was just a day ago. She still couldn’t believe his sickness had gone and went so quickly and had caused so much personality change. It wasn’t normal. But as she learned, nothing was ever really normal in La Push.

She sighed and dropped her plate and cup in the sink before sluggishly walking to her room. She closed the door with a soft click and stared at her room. She felt lost. She hoped Jake was just having an off day because of his sickness and would go back to normal the next day. Somehow, though, she knew he wouldn’t. Why else did her dad ask Sam to come over instead of Sue and then proceed to lie about Sam taking Jake over to Sue’s house. 

She was still reeling over what had occurred the night before, too. I can’t believe I was so stupid to allow him to kiss me, she thought. She scowled and shook her head when sad brown eyes invaded her mind. She refused to think about him and his betrayal. She wasn’t wrong for how she wrote him off. She had placed her trust in him and he had gone behind her back so fast. She figured that the amount of effort Paul put into being her friend showed just how much he was willing to be a true friend. Apparently, she was wrong. 

She decided to finish her homework to take her mind off of everything that had happened. But that only helped so much. She quickly completed her task and was left with nothing to do. She wanted to head to the beach, but she remembered she had told Paul that she loved going there. She also remembered that he had told her he often saw her there, so that was out of the question. She knew he would look for her to apologize, but she wasn’t having it. She didn’t want to hear his words because it was a waste of time. Anyone can say they’re sorry and then go behind someone’s back once again. The only thing he could do to make it up to her was to show her through actions how sorry he was. And Meadow wasn’t going to give him any more chances. It was over before it really started. Sensing the negative direction her thoughts were going, she threw her books and pencil off her bed and wrapped her comforter around her frame. She turned the light off in her room and buried herself in her bed.

When Monday rolled around, Meadow literally rolled out of bed and robotically got ready for school. She took her time in the bathroom and took her time eating breakfast. She wasn’t ready for school. She thought it odd when Jake didn’t come out of his room. Maybe he’s taking the day off to recuperate, she thought. She hit her head lightly and scolded herself for caring so much. He’ll be fine, she concluded and started her journey to school. She wasn’t surprised to see Paul waiting outside the school doors. She sighed before she got out of the car. She slung her backpack over her shoulders and steadily walked up to the school doors. In her peripheral vision, she saw Paul reach out to her but stop himself. 

She stopped at her locker to unload her books and then headed to her history class. When class was over she packed up her things and left the room. She almost groaned out loud when she noticed Paul leaning against the wall across from the classroom door. His head was hanging and his hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans. He looked up automatically when Meadow exited the classroom and started to make his way to her side. Noticing this, she shot him a nasty glare and he faltered. He did the same thing after her gym class and her English class. She was fed up with it. If he really wanted to be her friend, he wouldn’t have outed her so easily.

When the bell rang to signal lunch, she prayed he wasn’t standing outside the door. It would be next to impossible to avoid him since both of them were heading the same way. She sighed in relief when he was not in sight. She quickly made her way to the cafeteria. She grabbed a sandwich, milk, and a banana before she sat down at her regular table. She waited a few minutes before she realized she would be sitting with herself for lunch. Embry was sitting with Jared and Paul now, Jacob wasn’t even at school, and she hadn’t seen Quil all day. She gnawed on her lip and pulled out a book from her bag as pessimistic thoughts rolled into her head. 

A bang caused her to jump and exit her thoughts. Startled she looked up and instantly scowled. Paul’s tray was on the table and he was standing behind one of the table’s chairs. He gestured towards the seat, asking if he was allowed to sit. Meadow shook her head and stuffed her face in her book. The sound of a chair scooting made her grip the book harder. She had no intention of interacting with that man seated across from her.

“Meadow,” he said her name. Again, she ignored him and tried to focus on the contents of her book. She heard him sigh and the chair scoot away from the table. She grinned as she finally got her wish to be alone. That grin was wiped off her face when the chair next to her moved and someone sat down. She peeked over the top of her book and quickly hid her face again. She glowered at the words on the page. Paul grabbed the book in his hand and slowly pulled it away from her face. 

“Meadow,” he repeated himself. She narrowed her eyes at him before she looked away. 

“Meadow,” he said for the third time. Her insides started to boil. He was wasting her time saying her name over and over again. She wasn’t going to respond no matter what he did. She was stubborn and prideful when she wanted to be and she was not going to let herself slip away from those traits during their one-sided conversation.

“Meadow.”

She huffed and finally turned to look at him. 

“If you keep repeating my name, I’ll never speak to you again,” she said gruffly.

“But you just did,” Paul said. He said it jokingly, but there was a hint of caution underneath his words. Good, he should be scared, Meadow thought. When she didn’t respond, he threw an arm around her shoulders. She yanked it off of her and glared at him.

“I’m not having a conversation with you in the middle of the cafeteria for everyone to see,” she seethed out.

“You won’t talk to me unless I corner you,” Paul said.

“You really think cornering me is a good idea?”

“Let me explain. After school,” he said.

“Why should I?” Meadow asked smartly.

“Because you deserve answers.”

Her plan of refusal went down the drain at his words. She had wanted answers for so long. Was he really going to give her the answers she desperately wanted? She eyed him with distrust. 

“I promise I will tell you everything you want to know,” he said as he stared into her eyes. They sat there, staring at each other for a few seconds before she looked away and agreed.

“Fine,” she said. “Meet me at the beach an hour after school’s out.”

* * *

“Talk,” Meadow said as soon as Paul approached her. She was standing on a secluded part of the beach and had been waiting for him for quite some time. Her patience was very thin by the time he decided to show himself, so Meadow was not in the mood for any jokes or shenanigans. She wanted to get right down to the point.

“Look, Meadow. I just want you to know that keeping everything from you was not my decision,” Paul said. “I wanted to tell you right away, but-”

“I said, “Talk”,” Meadow snarled out. “I don’t want your excuses, I want answers.”

“Right,” Paul sighed out. He clenched and unclenched his fists as a bead of sweat dribbled down the side of his head. 

“I’m sure you know all about the legend, especially since Billy is your dad,” he said. He waited for confirmation but received none. So, he continued by saying, “All those legends are real.”

Meadow deadpanned and stared at Paul like he was scum on Earth. 

“You’re using the legends as an excuse to cover up the truth? Real mature, Paul. Now, if you don’t tell me the exact truth, I’m going to leave and never speak to you again,” she said.

“I am telling the truth! I can turn into a wolf! So can Sam, Jared, Emry, and Jacob!” Paul exclaimed.

“You want me to believe that humans can shift into animals?” Meadow asked incredulously.

“Yes!” Paul exclaimed. 

“You promised you would tell me everything you know,” Meadow accused. “And now you’re going back on that promise because you’re - what- scared? Fearful? Delusional?”

Meadow scoffed and turned her back on him. Before she took two steps, there was a ripping sound. Her eyes widened at the noise and she turned around to investigate. She dropped to the floor and landed on her butt. She stared on in fright as a huge silver wolf stared down at her. It took a step towards her and she pulled herself back in response. It whined and laid down on its belly. It stared at her with huge, dark brown eyes and waited for her to make the first move. 

Meadow stared at the wolf. She didn’t know what was going on, but at the same time, for some reason, she did know. Paul’s absence was one clue and the fact that the wolf was nowhere near feral was another clue. 

“Paul?” she called out weakly. The wolf perked up at the name and Meadow sighed in relief. She didn’t know what she would do if the wolf wasn’t Paul. She shakily stood up on her feet and moved closer to the wolf. Paul, she reminded herself. She held out an unsettled hand and let him brush his head against it. She was relieved that she wasn’t hallucinating. That was the last thing she needed. 

“Can you change back?” she asked hesitantly. The wolf nodded its head and rushed to the cover of the forest foliage. A minute later, Paul emerged in a pair of cut-offs. He stood in front of her with an impish smile and rubbed the back of his head. 

“There’s still more,” Meadow said as she tried to regain control over the situation.

“What are you talking about?” Paul asked cautiously.

“My dad forbade you from speaking to me, but he also said that I would get to know what was going on soon. I can only assume that there’s more,” Meadow said with a frown. “Again, you promised you would tell me everything, and I’m not leaving here until you do.”

Paul was quiet for a moment. He took in her defensive stance and knew there was no getting around it. 

“There is one more thing,” he confessed. Meadow waved her hand to move him along.

“It’s called imprinting. It’s - It’s-” Paul struggled to find the words to explain the whole process without freaking her out. 

“It’s like seeing the sun for the first time. It’s like a blind man seeing color for the first time. It’s like seeing the one person made for you in the entire universe and wondering if you’ll live up to their expectations. It’s intense and breathtaking,” he explained with strong emotion behind his eyes. 

“Like finding your soulmate?” Meadow guessed.

“Basically,” Paul said. “When I looked into your eyes that day on the beach, I imprinted on you. Y’know, when you handed me the soccer ball?”

“Yeah, I remember,” she said. How could she not remember? She had felt such a strong emotion when she had made eye contact with Paul that day. It had haunted her for so long, and now she had the answer to all her questions. Well, almost all of them. The only question yet to be answered was why they didn’t want to tell her sooner. What difference did it make telling her now instead of earlier?

“I’ve always known you were around,” Paul said. “I’d even eyed you up before.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better about myself?” Meadow asked.

Paul rolled his eyes and said, “Course not. I’m just saying that I’ve been attracted to you before.”

“So, what happened then?” Meadow couldn’t help but ask. 

“You seemed like too much of a recluse. I mean, no offense but it’s like you said before, you don’t have any friends. You didn’t like talking to anyone in school and I figured it’d be a waste of time trying to pursue you. Besides, you’re not approachable,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Makes sense,” Meadow said. Even if it made sense, she still felt bad about herself. Did she really make herself such a recluse that no one wanted to approach her to be at least friends? Did she let herself get carried away with her family’s words when she was younger? She bit her lip and chewed on the thought for a moment before she mentally smacked herself. She was supposed to be focusing on important matters; matters that mattered at that moment. 

“Okay. So, you all can turn into wolves and you imprinted on me. Why’d you take so long to tell me? It doesn’t make sense,” she said sourly.

“What?” Paul asked stupidly. 

“Why did it take so long to tell me? I was going to know sooner or later, so why not tell me sooner instead of later?” she asked.

“I- well-,” he stumbled and then mumbled something under his breath.

“What?” she asked.

He sighed and said, “Jared had an easier time with this. I didn’t think you would press this much.”

“All of you have been running circles around me,” she said venomously. “I think I deserve to know why the hell everyone has been keeping secrets from me. I mean, it’s not like I’d go and gossip about it. It’s not like I have any friends to tell.”

Meadow was livid that he really thought she was going to take the half-assed truths he was giving. She wanted all or nothing. She was done playing these stupid games with her dad, with Sam, and especially with Paul. 

“You know I didn’t mean it like that,” Paul said hurriedly. 

“I’m sure,” she said dryly.

“Meadow, I was ordered not to tell you.”

“By who?”

“Sam and your dad.”

“Why?”

“Your dad said you weren’t ready to know yet. I’m not sure about the details, but I think he thought you were going to shift.”

“Why would he think that?” she asked incredulously.

“Well,” he said, “People on the verge of shifting have bad tempers and get upset easily. You’ve been a bit testy lately, so I guess he thought you were going to go through the change soon.”

“Testy?”

“Stop making this harder than it has to be,” Paul said with restrained anger.

“You should have taken your own advice,” she said hotly. “What about Sam? Why’d he forbid you from telling me like you were some five-year-old child?”

Paul took a deep, calming breath before he answered her.

“He doesn’t think I have my temper reined in yet. He didn’t want me to make the same mistake he did,” he confessed.

“And what mistake was that?”

“....It’s not my place to tell you.”

“So to summarize everything: My dad wanted to keep me in the dark about your ability to shift into wolves even though he thought I would shift into a said wolf, and Sam wanted to keep me in the dark because he doesn’t want something that he did happen to someone else even though you two are completely different people with completely different situations?”

“Meadow, please understand. I didn’t want to keep all of this from you. I’m sorry,” Paul pleaded. He looked desperate.

“I don’t have to understand anything. I’ve been constantly lied to, kept in the dark, and my please have been ignored for so long that I’m pissed off. This,” she said while gesturing between the two of them, “whatever this is, has been a waste of my time.”

“I gave you answers! I told you everything!” Paul shouted. “Why can’t you just accept my apology and-”

“And what, Paul? Live happily ever after with you?” she asked with a screwed up face. “Unlike you, I’m not bound by some legend.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Third P.O.V.**

Meadow was on a rampage. After dealing with Paul, her temper had not settled and she was more than ready to bite into someone else. She hoped that the next person who got in her warpath was someone she had a problem with. Otherwise, she was going to hurt an innocent person's feelings. There was just so much anger pent up in her and all of it wanted out. She couldn't help but be very sour about Paul's explanation. Honestly, who were they to determine anything involved with her life without consulting her. She wasn't some puppet or pawn in whatever legend, story, or magic they were spouting. She was a human being with thoughts and feelings, even if she didn't show them as often as others did.

She parked in the driveway of her house and slammed the door to her car shut with enough power to rattle the poor thing. She stormed up to the house and rushed in, shaking the doorframe with the force she used shutting the door. She spotted Jacob rounding the corner to investigate the noise with a bag of chips in his hands. He rose an eyebrow at her to which she gave him a pointed look. He snorted and said, "What's got you in such a sour mood?"

She took a step towards him and balled her hands into fists. Her whole body tensed and beads of sweat rolled down the side of her face.

"What's got me in such a sour mood?" she repeated with venom in her voice. "You and everyone else!"

"I haven't done anything. You're the one running around screaming at everybody," Jake said heatedly.

"Says the one who couldn't get away from me fast enough after phasing into a big hairy beast!" she yelled. Jacob stilled and his eyes narrowed into slits.

"He told you," he said as calmly as he could. He was shaking, though, and barely had a grip on his temper.

"Yeah! Because no one else would tell me anything! It's sad that I have to find these things out from strangers rather than from my own family, especially since dad's known for quite some time!" she screamed. Her body felt like it was burning, like she was a candle's wick lit by a lighter. The world was shaking around her as if an earthquake was ravaging the ground. She placed a hand to her forehead as it pounded and throbbed. Her other hand grasped the wall beside her.

"MeMe, calm down," Jacob said after reigning himself in.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?! I'm tired of being quiet about how I feel! None of you seem to want to take into consideration my feelings! You just assume you know what's good for me!: she yelled.

Jacob inched closer to her, though he minded how fast he did so. He didn't want to upset her even more. It would be very bad if she didn't calm herself.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Jake said with his hands held in a position of surrender. "I wasn't allowed to tell you, but I would if I was."

"What, did dad tell you not to? Or was it Sam?" she asked with bitterness.

"It doesn't matter who it was, MeMe," he said. "All that matters is that now you know. No more secrets between us."

She scoffed and turned away from him. She took a breath in and her nerves calmed down just the slightest. She was still very much unhappy with how everyone dealt with the situation, however, she wasn't that upset with her brother. It wasn't like he was the center of all her problems.

"There are no more secrets?" she asked. "Nothing else I should know about?"

Jake shook his head and said, "Nope. That's it."

Meadow nodded her head and pursed her lips. She let out another breath.

Then, the door opened and in stepped her dad and Sam. Upon seeing them, her vision grew red and her hands balled into fists. Her shaking got out of hand and her skin was so hot to the touch that it was as if she was bathing in the sun. She stomped towards them and jabbed a finger in the middle of them.

"I know about everything now," she said with bite. "There's no space for your excuses now."

Her dad took in her form and stared at her in surprise. Sam, on the other hand, stared at her with a stern gaze.

"Meadow," Sam said. "Maybe we should take this conversation outside."

"I'm good where I am," she said.

"Meadow," her dad said in a voice that left no room to argue. "Outside. Now."

"You know, I always did wonder if what those children said before was really right. And I guess they were. It's not surprising seeing as how you treated Jake better than me growing up."

"I never-"

"And maybe you changed that habit of yours of quickly brushing me off, but you still treated him better. You've never cared about me!"

"You know that's not true!"

"It is! You left me to care for Jake after mom died even though I'm only a few years older than him! You always asked how he was, how his grades were, if he already ate dinner, how his sports practices went, but you never asked me those questions! You never took interest in anything I did! And now that you think I'll phase, you want to be nicer to me?"

"Meadow, you're being stupid!" Jake yelled from behind her. She felt a push on her back and her body lurched forward in response. She landed on the floor on her hands and knees. The room was quiet and the inhabitants were still. A low growl resonated throughout the room causing three people to panic. In a rush, Sam pulled Meadow out of the house just in time.

Meadow watched in fear as her body morphed into something she wasn't familiar with. Her fingernails and her toenails elongated, poking holes in her shoes. Hair the color of aluminum and copper sprouted from her skin. She felt her bones break and reshape themselves into a new mold, filling her body with nothing pain. It hurt, so she resisted. She didn't want to feel the pain anymore; the burning. She heard yelling but she couldn't decipher what was being said. She was too focused on the pain.

Someone crouched in front of her and started yelling in her face. She vaguely recognized it was her brother. She saw his lips move. They formed silent words that she couldn't make out. She was frustrated that she couldn't hear him or understand what he was saying. She focused so much on her brother that she didn't realize the pain was but a faint pain. She only realized when the voices started talking to her.

_A new one?_

_Someone else phased?_

_Is it Quil?_

_Everyone quiet!_

The voices in her head stopped and she could only thank the last voice for allowing her head a reprieve.

_Meadow, how do you feel?_

_Meadow?_

_Meadow Black?!_

_MeMe?!_

_Who are you?_ She asked in a quiet voice.

_Sam Uley._

_It's me, Embry!_

_Jared Cameron._

_Paul._

_What's going on?_ Meadow asked in fear. Her body felt awkward and when she tried to take a step, she felt two legs move instead of one. She glanced down and was shocked to see a copper paw. She jumped back in surprise, landing clumsily on her belly.

_You shifted,_ Sam said.

_I don't understand. How can you hear me?_ She asked.

_It's a wolf thing_, Jared said.

_We can hear each other's thoughts when we're in wolf form,_ Embry said excitedly.

_My thoughts?!_ she screamed internally. The boys groaned when her loud voice entered their minds and she winced when she realized what she'd done.

_How do I change back? I don't want this_, she said.

_None of us wanted this,_ Sam said.

_I wasn't supposed to phase. No girl has ever phased_, she said.

_I don't know the specifics, but because you are from the Alpha bloodline, your chances of phasing are higher than normal,_ Sam explained.

_How do I change back?_ she asked again.

_You have to envision what you look like when you're human. Focus on the details and you'll change back_, Paul answered.

Meadow did as she was instructed and was happy with the results. She returned back to normal fairly quickly. She marveled at the sight of her hands. It didn't last long, though as the wind chilled her form. It was then that she realized she was naked. She placed her hands over her body in a way to cover her intimate parts. Her dad came out of the house with a pair of shorts and a shirt for her and she was instantly grateful. She put on the clothes given to her and sat on the ground, exhausted from the recent events.

Sam came out of the treeline a few moments later and approached her.

"We have a lot to talk about," he told her.

"Yeah, I guess so."

**A.N.**

**Shorter chapter than usual, but that's only because I thought this was a good ending to the chapter. Sorry for being gone so long, but I've had the worst writer's block. Plus, I started this new anime and I've been binge-watching it so I can catch up before the new season comes out in a couple of days. **

**Don't forget to ** _ **comment** _ ** what you think!**

**♡ Stay Awesome ^u^ ♡**


	15. Chapter 15

Meadow sat quietly and took in the environment around her. She was sitting on a brick red couch, her hands grasping at the rough material underneath her fingertips. Her eyes glance left and landed on Sam, who was staring at her with a contemplative gaze. She could hear someone, Emily, in the kitchen rummaging around. Pots and pans clattered together and cupboards slammed shut and softly opened. There was a lingering smell in the air. It smelled like fruit, blueberries, and sugar. Muffins, Meadow concluded. She clenched her eyes shut as the barrage of stimulation entered her newly sensitive senses. It was overwhelming and she didn’t know what to do about it.

The sound of feet slapping against the wooden floor pounded against her head until a soft _thunk_ of glass hitting wooden laminate disrupted it. A hand was placed on her shoulders, causing her to flinch back and sit flush against the back of the couch. Emily stood in front of her with an apologetic smile and a guarded look in her eyes. She gestured towards a glass of water sitting idly on the small coffee table in front of Meadow and said, “I thought you might want something to cool your nerves. A lot of the boys, when they first phase, are on edge and the water seems to help. If only a little.”

Meadow nodded her head in acknowledgement and accepted the offered drink. She gulped the cool liquid, refusing to take a moment to catch her breath. Her mind was still scrambled from earlier and she wasn’t ready to converse with Sam, one of her least favorite persons in the world at the moment. She’d rather be in her room reading a book or at the beach watching the water sway back and forth than be in the same room as him. Emily grabbed the now empty cup and returned to the kitchen, only to come back out with a full glass. Emily Young was a tall reservation woman, though she wasn’t from the Quileute tribe. She was from one of the neighboring tribes, the Makah tribe. 

She had pin straight black hair that traveled down her back and ended above her waist. Her eyes were a dark-brown and full of mirth and care. She had a protective aura that surrounded her at every moment and a smile adorned her face as much as the sun shined through the open blinds covering the windows. The most prominent feature was the scar on the left side of her face. It started right under her left eye, making it droop just the slightest bit, and ended on the bottom of her cheek. It didn’t take from her beauty, though. If anything, it added to it. She was Sam’s fiance; his imprint. 

Meadow made sure not to stare at Emily’s scar for too long. Not only was it rude, but Sam had a huge problem with it. The first time she’d seen the woman, she had blatantly stared at it, mainly due to shock. After a few seconds had gone by, a rumble started in Sam’s throat and came out as a snarl when she refused to move her gaze. Hearing the threat in the noise, she had avoided eye contact with the woman and had meekly entered the residence. She was sure to never do that again. 

Emily left the room shortly after setting the water on the table, leaving Meadow to face her fears. They sat in silence. Maybe he wanted her start, she surmised. However, he was in for a rude awakening; she wasn’t going to. It wasn’t in her nature to be so confrontational unless she was emotional. And she wasn’t emotional at the time. She was pocketing her emotions so as not to combust into a hairy wolf again. 

“Do you have any questions for me?” Sam asked out of the blue. His gave failed to waver when her eyes met his. She shook her head and moved her gaze to her hands. She fiddled with them unconsciously, but when she realized what she was doing, she stopped. She wasn’t going to let him know how nervous she was about it all. 

“Usually newer ones are jumping all over the place. Jared, Paul, Jacob, and Embry all did. Paul was the worst,” he joked with her. She didn’t know if it was his way of trying to get her to open up by getting on her good side, but it wasn’t going to work. Meadow was making sure of it. Still, the image of Paul moving about in frustration and getting all worked up because he was confused. A small smile slipped onto her face before it melted away. She was still angry with him. With everyone who had kept her in the dark for so long.

“I’ve heard all about you,” he said. “Mainly through their thoughts, but I know more about you than you think.”

She stilled and waited with bated breath for him to continue. 

“You’re quiet and reserved yet you lash out at anything that doesn’t fit your standards, that doesn’t go your way or meet your needs. Like when you confronted us about the diner or when you yelled at your dad for keeping things from you,” he recited. Meadow clenched her hands at her sides and her face twisted into a scowl. She didn’t need him to analyze her personality.

“You keep everything inside until you can’t take it anymore. No one knows why you do it, but you pin all the blame on everyone else except yourself,” he continued. “Why is that?”

Her teeth grinded together and her hands undid themselves so her nails could embed into her palms. She didn’t want to talk about her. She didn’t want to even talk to him. She didn’t want to talk about being a wolf, and she didn’t want to talk about how she dealt with things. She wanted to be left alone. Was it too much to ask for? Her heartbeat sped up and she felt like her body was overheating. Tremors rolled under her skin and traveled throughout her whole body. Her eyes widened as the familiar events took place. 

She knew she was close to turning back into a wolf, and she wasn’t ready for that again. The pain was excruciating when she went through it the first time and the awkwardness of being bare in front of someone else was too much to handle. She focused on her breathing first. She took deep calming breaths in, collecting the anger surrounding her and caging it in her body, and exhaled. She needed to capture all of it emanating from her form. She needed to bottle it up. So she did. And eventually, all of it stored inside of her heart once again. 

“Impressive,” Sam said. “I’ve never seen someone control it so early on.”

She refused to look at him, else the anger boil up and overflow once again. She didn’t even want to hear his stupid voice, but she couldn’t exactly tell her ears to stop listening. Sam stood up from his spot on the couch and stretched his hands above his head. 

“I’ll have you meet everyone later on and explain some things you’ll need to know to integrate into the pack schedule. For now, why don’t you grab something to eat before Jake gets here,” he suggested before entering the kitchen. Meadow sat there for some time before a grumble left her stomach. She winced at the sound and wondered when she had gotten so hungry. It wasn’t like she watched what she ate, but she usually wasn’t much of a big eater and could last hours before eating again. 

She stood up and followed the delicious smell. A full plate of blueberry muffins sat atop the kitchen table. They were enticing to look at and she automatically reached for one. She took a bite, ripping a huge chunk out of it and chewed. She never knew something could taste so wonderful. She finished the first muffin off within seconds and reached for another one. She paused when she felt eyes on her. Emily caught her eye and stared at her with amusement. Meadow frowned and withdrew her hand.

“You can keep eating,” Emily reassured her. “I’m used to big appetites and cooking a lot.”

“.....I don’t want to be rude,” Meadow said out of politeness.  
“You’re fine, Meadow.”

With that, she took ahold of another one and plowed through it. The whole plate was finished off within ten minutes and all Meadow could do was sit in her chair with a slightly uncomfortable tightness in her abdomen. She laid a hand on her stomach and embarrassingly belched. A blush crept up her face, but Emily waved her off.

“The boys always eat too much,” she said fondly. “Just remember to pace yourself. I know it’s hard with your fast metabolism, but it’ll help curb your appetite at least a little.”

The back door to the pale yellow room opened and in walked Jacob. He stepped through the doorway and greeted Emily before turning his attention to Meadow. He scanned her over. She didn’t know what he was searching for, but whatever it was he found satisfactory. 

“Hey, MeMe,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” she answered plainly. He sighed and ran a hand through his short locks. 

“Sure, sure,” he answered with, though she could tell he wanted to say more. “Wanna take a walk?”

She nodded and stood up from her seat. She followed him out of the house and through the thick foliage. She stayed a step behind him, allowing him to lead her to whatever destination he wanted. He walked faster than normal but she was able to keep up. As she walked, she understood how sharp her senses had become. The colors of the forest were more vibrant than before and small differences between hues were detected. Details were easier to catch, almost as if she was just standing in place and observing her surroundings instead of walking at a brisk pace. She could hear so many more sounds and she swore she could hear cars riding on the main road, which was miles away from her. 

Jacob stopped at the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. She recognized the spot from the time she’d watched the boys cliff dive. He sat at the edge and patted the spot next to her. She vaguely wondered when he had matured enough to do such gestures. Together, they looked out at the horizon and basked in the sounds of nature. 

“You know I wanted to tell you, right?” he told her. She understood what he was talking about.  
“It doesn’t matter, Jake,” she said.

“It matters to you, though, right?” he asked. “I swear, MeMe, I wanted you to be the first person to know. I was scared when I phased the first time and all I wanted to do was run to you for comfort.”

She turned to him and asked, “Why me?”

“You always know how to calm me down and get me to think rationally. You take care of me, so you’re like,” he took a breath in and then continued on the exhale, “someone I can go to for anything.”

“But as soon as the thought of running to you popped in my head, Sam knew what I was planning and stopped me.”

Meadow scoffed when he told her that and bit her lip to keep her comments to herself. Her chest puffed out and her fingers dug into the rock beneath her.

“Doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. He’s alright,” Jake admitted as he scratched the back of his head. “It was better that I didn’t run off. Someone could have seen me or I could have hurt you on accident.”

She deflated and deliberated his words. 

“So, I’m sorry but I’m not sorry for keeping it from you,” he said confidently. His words registered in his head and a look of panic overtook his features. “I mean, um, that didn’t come out right. I meant that I’m sorry for not saying anything but I’m not sorry for obeying Sam’s orders and not telling you. Wait, that’s the same thing....”

Meadow chuckled at her younger brother’s antics and playfully shoved him. He swayed to the right before righting himself. She threw an arm around his shoulders and hugged him to her side before letting him go and saying, “I understand. It’s okay.”

He let out a breath and said, “Good, good. Now, maybe you can forgive Paul? I’m tired of hearing him complain about it every time I’ on patrol with him.”

“Patrol?” she asked.

“Something Sam’ll explain. Anyway, seriously, talk to him. Cause if he whines about dying alone one more time, I’m going to kill him and then he’ll really die alone.”

Meadow let out a soft laugh and a fond smile lit up her face. 

“I’ll think about it.”

Just then, a howl echoed throughout the area, making the two of them tense up. Jake stood up quickly and she mirrored his motions. 

“I gotta go. Head back to Sam’s house. I don’t think he’ll want you participating yet,” he ordered.

“What?”

“I’ll explain - well Sam will explain - when we get back. It shouldn’t take too long,” he said. He gave her a push on the back in the direction they came from before he ran off and disappeared. She licked her lips and wondered what was going on. However, she heeded his words and made her way back to the house. Whatever it was, she was sure she wasn’t ready for it. She wasn’t even comfortable with the idea of being a wolf yet, so participating in any wolfy activities was off the table. 


	16. Chapter 16

Meadow walked through the trees with a peaceful smile on her face. Even though the situation she had found her in was stressing her out, being able to hear the waves crashing against the sand from so far away helped her to take a deep breath and relax. Honestly, if she could she would live on the ocean. There was something about the motion and the sound of the water. She could imagine going to sleep on a boat, letting the swaying and the soft whispers lull her to sleep. And just as she’d succumb to it, the smell of sweet, burning candy would infiltrate her nose. 

She scrunched up her face and opened her eyes as a burning sensation filled her nostrils. It was like she was breathing in a furnace. She came to a halt and gaped at what she saw. A woman was standing in front of her with fiery red hair and red eyes to match. She was smirking at Meadow ferally and when Meadow took a tentative step back, she moved so she was standing closer.

The new shifter’s body started convulsing on its own, causing Meadow to panic. She had an inkling of what the person in front of her was. After all, she was the overly superstitious chief’s daughter. It would be disappointing if she didn’t know what the woman was. The red eyes, the pale skin, and the quickness with which the lady moved were dead giveaways. 

Vampire.

She was on edge and had no idea on what to do. This was too new for her. She briefly wondered if the vampire was the reason why Jake ran off earlier. However, her thoughts were interrupted when the red-head grabbed her by her throat and squeezed so tight that Meadow felt like her windpipe was being crushed. 

“You smell just like one of those mutts,” she said and squeezed impossibly tighter. Instincts overtook Meadow and she burst from the grasp she was in. She was now a huge ball of silver and copper fur. She growled at her assailant, baring her long and sharp canines. She was now pissed that the vampire got her to do the one thing she didn’t want to do at the moment. 

Meadow?! Jake yelled in her head. 

MeMe! Embry shouted.

Nothing but trouble, Jared grumbled.

Meadow, don’t engage, Sam said.

Are you okay? Paul asked.

Meadow ignored their questioning and focused entirely on the creature before her. It was okay, though, because unbeknownst to her, the rest of the pack could see her surroundings through her thoughts and were already on their way to her. She must have been unconsciously sending them her location. 

She growled in warning again when the woman took a step towards her. The woman paid no heed and lunged at her. Meadow dodged in the nick of time, but because she wasn’t used to her new form, she tripped over her paws and tumbled to the ground. She groaned, though it came out as a raspy whine. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her torso and whined when she felt pressure try to cave her body in. When it became almost unbearable, something big ran into her and effectively helped her escape the bony cage.

She breathed hard as she stood up on shaky legs. Her head swivelled around and caught sight of a dark-silver furred wolf wrestling with the vampire. The woman got the upper hand and pushed the wolf away before sprinting off. The wolf followed. All Meadow could do was watch it all unfold in mere seconds. Just as she lost sight of the two, three more wolves showed up. One was a russet color and when it stood beside her, it stood a handful of inches taller than her. The next one was a solid black color and stood at about the same height as the first one.

Jacob, go ahead and help Paul out, Sam ordered.

The russet one looked at Meadow and said, Don’t do anything stupid, before running off. The black one stayed behind, so she guessed it was Sam. He looked at her and tilted his head towards the direction of his house.

Go back. Emily will get you some clothes to change into. Wait there until we get back, he ordered. 

She didn’t like being ordered around by him, but she would rather be out of their mind-chat and at Emily’s than allowing them all to hear her thoughts and possibly die by the hands of a vampire. She nodded her head and ran off. It was weird running in a body that was almost four times as big as her original one. And to top it off, she was running on four legs instead of two. Her form was awkward and shifty. She wondered if it would be easier to imagine her front two legs as arms instead and imagine how she ran in human form. She heard a snicker in her head, but ignored it. She’d leave the group chat soon anyway, so there was no reason for her to say anything.

Honestly, it was almost the same thing. Her right arm moved when her left foot stepped and her left arm moved when her right foot stepped. In wolf form, her front right paw stepped when her back left paw stepped, and vice versa. Comparing the two helped polish her run, but it was still difficult. She assumed experience would help her in the long run and left the topic alone. 

When she got to the house, she wasn’t sure what to do at first. So, hesitantly, she scratched at the back door. She waited and her ear twitched when she caught the sound of movement. Emily appeared in the doorway and took one look at her before retreating back into the house. She reappeared with clothes and silently handed them to Meadow before giving the girl some privacy. Meadow shifted back into her human form, not without some pain, and changed into the given clothes.

Now inside, she sat down in the living room. Emily sat with her and tried to spark a conversation with her. Meadow wasn’t in the mood for talking. Or, rather, she was distracted by what happened. She rubbed the spot where she swore she could feel a hand imprint and put her hand down when she felt no pain from the action. Quizzically, she stared at the palm of her hand.

“Did you get hurt?” Emily asked her politely with a hint of worry lace din her voice. Meadow looked at her for a moment before nodding her head. Emily’s eyes raked over the area she was rubbing earlier and was satisfied with her assessment.

“The boys usually heal very quickly, so whatever injury you had is gone now. It’s a perk to being a shifter, I suppose,” Emily said. Meadow was happy with the information Emily gave her. She was nervous that she’d have to walk around with a bruised hand print etched into her neck. That would be hard to explain. They sat in silence for a while before the back doors swung open, announcing the arrival of the boys. Emily immediately stood up and caressed Sam’s face when he entered the room. They shared an intimate moment that made Meadow subtly blush and look away. 

As she turned her gaze away her eyes caught Paul’s. She felt like she was pulled from her body and put in front of a projection, and on the screen was her life, or what it would be. She saw Paul hugging her, kissing her, making her laugh and smile. She saw how comfortable she was in his presence; how carefree and happy she was, how loved and cared for she was. She felt so much love project from the images flashing across her eyes that in that moment, she, too, felt as if she were loved. A warm tingly feeling crept up her spine and covered her in delightful shivers. It was almost as if she was wrapped in the sun after being cloaked by cold and nipping snow. She marvelled at the sights, almost as if she had just seen for the first time, like she’d been deprived of something she thought she’d never have.

Slowly, she came back. Her eyes, wide with wonder and amazement, blinked repeatedly. Jake was rolling his eyes and had his arms crossed, Jared, Sam and Emily were looking at her with goofy and knowing smiles, Embry was frowning, and Paul was staring at her with the most tender look she had ever seen on someone’s face. 

“W-what was that?” she asked, stuttering uncharacteristically. 

“You just imprinted on Paul,” Jared snickered.

“I was hoping you’d imprint on someone else so this idiot wouldn’t be a part of the family,” Jake muttered under his breath.

“Aw, c’mon little brother,” Paul said joking. He wrapped his arms around Jake’s head and put him in a headlock so he could tousle his hair. Jake pushed him away and fixed his moussed up hair. He glared at Paul, who continued to smirk at him.

“It’s not like you deserve her anyway,” Embry said. The room was silent before a rumbling was heard. Everyone glanced at Paul, so Meadow followed suit. His fists were clenched and he was glaring at Embry.

“Embry, I told you to drop it,” Sam said sternly. 

“Why should I? He doesn’t know MeMe like I do,” Embry continued complaining.

“Seriously, dude,” Jake said.

“Meadow is my imprint,” Paul said hotly, “Mine.”

“Yeah, well she would have been my girlfriend if-”

“Enough!” Sam ordered. Meadow took a step back from the authority that one word had. Her head dropped and her back slouched on their own. Why did it feel like a million bricks were suddenly dropped on her? When the feeling subsided, she shook her head and turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” Paul asked. Worry was evident in his eyes and his tone of voice, usually riddled with confidence, was unsure.

“I’m not anyone’s property,” she said. She was angry they were talking about her like she was a toy; like she wasn’t in the room with them.

“Of course not! That’s not what I meant!” Paul exclaimed.

“I’m leaving,” she said, announcing her departure. She would never be ready for the shifter life if it meant she had to be around the boys so much. It seemed like Emily’s was the go-to place for meetings and hanging out. She was too much of a recluse to leave her own room. And she didn’t think she’d ever have the mental energy to hang out with all of them for long periods of time.

“You’re not leaving,” Sam said. Meadow turned and raised an eyebrow. She challenged him in her mind, telling him that he’d have to use force to keep her any longer in the small room. 

“You will not leave this room,” Sam ordered. Again, Meadow felt the urge to hang her head and slouch. To submit. When Meadow realized what he was doing, rage overtook her. Sweat dripped down her face as she tried hard not to shift. A hand gripped her shoulder and slightly shook her. She opened her eyes and drowned in a pool of chocolate.

“Calm down,” Paul said gently. Her body unconsciously relaxed and leaned into his touch. She scowled at her body’s betrayal and huffed out a breath. She crossed her arms and sat down on the couch. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you pout before, MeMe” Jake joked. She glared at him and then continued to ignore him and everyone else in the room. Paul chuckled and sat next to her. She frowned when she felt a jolt rock through her when his knee bumped hers. 

“I’m gonna get a start on dinner,” Emily said after patting Sam on the chest. 

“Can you make chicken again?” Jared suggested.

“We had chicken three days ago,” Paul complained.

“Yeah, whatever,” Jared said. “I’m heading to Kim’s house.”

“Go patrol,” Sam said, “Embry, Jake, go with him.”

“Why do I gotta do it?” Jared whined.

“Quit being a baby and let’s get this over with,” Jake said. He pushed him and Embry out of the house. With that out of the way, Sam sat on the couch opposite them.

“There are some things you need to know about your new...lifestyle,” he said. He was all business. Whatever funny bone in his body that had been out was now hidden.

“There is one thing that triggers the gene in our body: vampires. A few years ago, the Cullens moved to Forks and attracted vampires to the area. Because of this, more of us are shifting,” he started. He stopped to allow her room to question, but she did not take the opportunity.

“Even though we can shift at will, there are a few triggers, mainly anger and the presence of a vampire. Which is why it’s important you get a hold of your emotions,” he said with a pointed look. Meadow ignored it, knowing what he was getting at but refusing to acknowledge it.

“You’ve been pretty good so far at handling your urges, but it’s sort of protocol to keep the newer wolves away from school for a few days until they have a semblance of control.”

“I’m not missing school,” Meadow said firmly. Sam narrowed his eyes at her.

“It’s not a request,” he said.

“Neither was my statement,” she talked back.

“There are a few positions within a pack, Meadow,” Sam said with an undertone of warning, “The important ones are the Alpha and the Beta. The Alpha is the leader of the pack, and as a leader, makes decisions that benefit the pack. The Beta is like a second leader. He is in charge when the Alpha cannot be. Do you know what position I am in?”

“Judging by your shitty attitude, I’d guess Alpha,” Meadow sneered. She was getting too annoyed too quickly. This is why she wanted to leave earlier.

“Correct,” Sam gritted out. “Which is why I won’t stand for insubordination. The pack needs to run smoothly to effectively protect people, humans, and it can’t if there is opposition. Do I make myself clear?”

Meadow tried to keep eye contact with him, but the pressure was too much, She averted her eyes and nodded sharply. 

“Good. Now, to protect the reservation, we run patrols. Usually we circle the reservation, but since the Cullens left, we’re able to include Forks, as well.”

“Why did you wait until the Cullens left?” she asked. She thought it was weird to leave out a huge group of people, or humans as he so put.

“We have a treaty with them. I’m sure your dad’s told you about it before.”

She vaguely recalled the legends her dad used to tell her and her siblings.

“Someone has to patrol at all times, so we rotate with each other. Since I’m the only one who’s out of school, a lot of times you’ll have to sacrifice your schooling,” he informed her. Her teeth gritted together but she remained silent. Arguing now would be completely pointless. She wanted to tell him exactly how she felt, how important school was to her even if she wasn’t planning on doing anything with it anytime soon, but she knew he wouldn’t listen to her. 

“The Elders coordinate with the school to help keep those who’ve shifted from failing, but schooling isn’t our top priority. Now that you’ve shifted, your top priority is helping the village and its people. Everything else has to come second. Do you understand, Meadow?” he asked as he leveled her with his gaze. She nodded. She understood, but she wasn’t happy with it. Whoever decided these crappy rules and restrictions obviously had no life outside of the pack. 

“Good,” Sam said. He stood up and walked out of the room. The tense man before them left and was replaced by a more carefree man. Before he disappeared completely, he said, “The two of you should work things out, or at least come to some sort of agreement. We can’t you two distracted with your lives on the line.”

Meadow looked at Paul and grimaced. She knew she needed to talk to him, but she didn’t want to. Many things were just being thrown at her all at once. So, she sighed, stood up, and said, “We’ll talk about this later.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time figuring out how to show the past and present in this chapter, so if you have any problem reading this chapter, let me know and I’ll format it differently.

Later came quicker than Meadow had planned. When she thought of later, she thought of next week or, even better, next month. But in Paul’s head, later meant the next day. Later was a word reserved for procrastination. Everyone who used the expression, “We'll talk later,” wanted to procrastinate the inevitable talk, which is why the word is _later_ and not _tomorrow_!

She felt stupid for being cornered the way she was. Paul had found the perfect opportunity. She should have been able to smell him coming from a mile away, but she wasn’t used to all the new scents yet. Thus, there she was, sitting on the beach with Paul by her side. She was trying to ignore him, but some dumb pull kept making her notice the small things: the wind brushing through his hair, the calm breath sneaking in out of his chest, the small twitch of his lips.

It was all so infuriating! She felt so calm in his presence even though she wanted to be nothing but angry and annoyed. It was a feeling worse than suppressing her emotions. At least she had control over that! This, though, was something new and powerful; something she couldn’t control even though she tried so hard to.

“What do you want?” she asked harshly. She wanted to get back to being alone. 

“You said we’d talk later,” Paul said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s later.”

“I wanted time away from all of you, hence why I said later,” she stressed angrily.

“We don’t have time for this, Meadow,” Paul said seriously. “I get you don’t want this, but that doesn’t mean you should run away from it.”

“You don’t understand anything,” she grounded out.

“I imprinted, too, Meadow. I turned into a wolf, too. How don’t I understand?” he asked.

“You just don’t,” she said stubbornly. “Just because we’ve gone through a few similar things doesn’t mean you understand.”

“Then stop running away and explain it to me,” he said. She could tell he was frustrated. His body was tense and a hard frown sat on his face.

“I’m not running. I just need time,” she said simply.

“Don’t close yourself off from me,” Paul said, “You’ve opened up to me before, why can’t you do it now?”

“That was before you told Sam about my suspicions,” Meadow told him.

“I already told you! I didn’t want to tell him! I was ordered to,” he confessed.

“By who, Sam?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes,” he said exasperatedly. “Just listen...”

* * *

_Paul watched Meadow run into the house with a pained expression on his face. He didn’t know how he was supposed to get on her good side when so many things kept happening. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before he left the car and ran into the woods behind her house. He was quick to shift into his silver fur. Frantic thoughts reached his head and he groaned from the intensity of them._

Shut the hell up, Black, _he snarled out. _

Paul, leave him alone, _Sam said sternly._

Where did my clothes go?! _Jacob asked as he freaked out._

Way to notice the good things, _Paul said sarcastically._

Paul, enough, _Sam ordered._

_Paul couldn’t help but to think about his date with Meadow and how great it was until they got back. He partially and childishly blamed Jacob for causing her to run off. If he had just kept his wolfy mouth shut, she wouldn’t have run off the way she did._

You were on a date with my sister?! _Jake asked incredulously._

Yeah and it would have been the best date of her life if you hadn’t picked today to shift, _Paul grumbled. He pictured their kiss together, the surprise that lit up her face and the blush that had covered her russet cheeks. She was so cute when caught off guard._

You kissed my sister?!_ Jacob screeched in their heads. By then, Paul had found where Sam and Jake were and plopped down on his haunches. He observed Jake’s wolf form and was surprised to find that he was just as big as Sam._

She’s my imprint, stupid, _Paul said with a roll of his eyes. _

Imprint? What? _Jake asked._

Don’t worry about it. Worry about switching back. We have things to discuss, _Sam said. As Jacob focused on getting back to his human form, Paul couldn’t help but think how Meadow was right to worry about her brother. The conversation they held in the diner slowly played across his mind before he realized what he was doing and thought of other things._

What was that? _Sam asked with narrowed eyes. It made his already intimidating form scarier._

Nothing, _Paul said._

Paul,_ Sam warned._

It’s just something Meadow commented on. It’s nothing serious, _Paul said, trying his hardest to turn the focus of the conversation onto something else._

I won’t ask again, Paul. Tell me: What did Meadow say? _Sam commanded. Paul whined under the pressure. He tried to fight against the order, for Meadow’s sake, but it was too much. The conversation rolled through their minds, and Paul was helpless to stop it. _

**“I’m just worried about Jake....” she trailed off.**

**“Billy and Sam are taking care of him,” Paul said.**

**“That’s what I’m worried about,” she said. She chewed on her bottom lip.**

**“What’s wrong?” Paul asked. “Please tell me.”**

**She sighed and said, “I.....overheard some things my dad said while he was on the phone.”**

**Paul tensed and said, “Like what?”**

**“I.....”**

**“You can tell me, Meadow,” Paul said.**

**“Well, he said Jake was sick and that he was next to...shift?” she said.**

**“If it was anything bad, I’d let you know, Meadow.”**

She’s that worried? _Jake questioned quietly._

She isn’t supposed to know yet, _Sam said._

You think she’s gonna shift, anyway! What’s so bad about telling her now? _Paul asked._

What if she doesn’t shift? _Sam hypothetically questioned._

Then she’ll still know because she’s my imprint, _Paul reasoned._

She’s not ready, _Sam said._

That’s bullshit! _Paul yelled_

She’s not ready_, Sam repeated himself, this time more harshly._ Let’s hope she doesn’t shift anytime soon.

* * *

“...so I didn’t mean to tell him,” Paul finished. Meadow contemplated what he told her and sighed. She felt bad for yelling at him so harshly before, but how was she supposed to know that was why Sam knew?

“I’m sorry, then, for yelling at you so harshly,” she sincerely apologized. Paul laughed her off, though it was a bit strained.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I kind of deserved it. I was being pushy back then.”

“Yeah, you were,” Meadow said jokingly. Paul bumped her shoulder with his and smiled at her. The two of them basked in the small bit of joy surrounding them before they got serious again.

“I’m here if and when you need to talk,” Paul said. “I know what it’s like to be ignored at home. After my parents divorced, my dad brought me back to La Push. He started drinking and ignored me at home a lot. I had to fend for myself and I was angry at him, so we got into a lot of arguments. That’s why I acted out so much in school. I wanted to get the attention I never got at home. It wasn’t until I shifted that I felt I had a real family and was able to control my temper.”

Meadow stared at the sand as tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t want to hear him recount his horrible childhood. She didn’t want to think about how he must have felt or how lonely he must have been. Thinking about that was like thinking about how she felt and that was something she didn’t want to do.

“I get it, Meadow, which is why I know you don’t have to be alone in all of this.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered.

“You don’t care?” he asked.

“No, I don’t.

“Stop wallowing in your own pity and realize that you have people that care for you!” Paul shouted. 

“Like you?” she asked incredulously. Her voice raised as tears sprouted from her eyes. She couldn’t fathom why she was being so emotional, but she couldn’t stop the tears no matter how hard she tried. “You only care for me because you imprinted on me! Don’t act like you really do.”

“Why are you being so stubborn!” he shouted.

"Because I've never had to open up to anyone like you before!" Meadow yelled at the top of her lungs. She needed to get her point across to him. He needed to understand why she couldn't do this. Why she couldn’t accept the help the help he wanted to give.

"Like me?" Paul asked confusedly.

"Yes! Like you! My family - Jake, my dad, my sisters - and Embry and Quil accept that I won't give them anything more than what is necessary. But you-" Meadow stopped mid-sentence to let out a sob. She tried to get her wits together, but everything was jumbled because of him. It was all because of him.

"You want more out of me! I can't give you more! I'm not, I'm not used to opening myself up so much! Why can't you see that?! Why can't you see that this is too much for me?!" she finished. Her eyes were wide and watery. Tears escaped the confinements of her eyes. She had lost it. He had pushed her too much and she was struggling to get a hold on her emotions.

"Because I was you! I tried to keep Sam and Jared out for so long after I shifted. But when I finally accepted them, when I finally let them in, it felt like a huge burden came off my shoulders.”

Meadow shook her head and tried walking away from him, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. She wanted to hit him for pulling on her, but at the same time, she was glad he did. 

“For once in my life I want to work hard on something. I want to work on a relationship instead of abandoning it. I want to experience love, real love, instead of the lust I’m so used to," Paul said determinedly. "We can take this as slow as you want. There's no rush. I will help shoulder any burden you feel. If you need space, I'll give it to you. I'm here for you, Meadow. You just have to trust me."

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. He held her tight as she cried in the crook of his neck and clung to him. Meadow couldn’t explain why a dam had let loose. Why was she crying so hard? Why did she feel so vulnerable? Why was she giving in? Her shoulders sagged and she pressed her face further into his neck. Why did she feel like any minute she’d drown and Paul was her lifeline keeping her afloat. It was such a foreign feeling. 

She nodded her head against his skin and whispered. A small smile lit up Paul’s face and he curled his arms further around her frame.

“Okay.”


	18. Chapter 18

Staying home from school was frustrating for Meadow. Her dad insisted that she follow Sam’s orders even though she vehemently protested the opposite. She didn’t want to follow a man who thought it was right to force someone to do something just because he thought it was for the good of the pack. He was more paranoid than anything, in Meadow’s eyes, so she thought it was just an abuse of power. 

The day after she had her talk with Paul, she was banned from going to school and had to learn all there was to know about being a wolf and being a part of the pack. It was an overload of knowledge and Meadow had a hard time keeping, especially with the patrol patterns. Working with Sam was the worst part of it all. Not only was he unable to sympathize with her, but he hated mistakes. She was basically yelled at every time she made one. All in all, he was a bad teacher. She wondered how the boys learned anything from him.

“I’m only going to explain this once, so pay attention,” Sam said sternly. They were sitting outside with a map laying between them. It was a map of the reservation and it had all kinds of lines and circles going through it.

“There are four sectors of the reservation. They are labeled North, South, East, and West,” he said while pointing to each of them. _Pretty simple_, Meadow thought. 

“Two wolves are on patrol duty at all times, though that number is based on how many vampire sightings there are. Each wolf patrols two sectors at a time. During their patrol, they often cross paths like so,” he said while following lines on the map. Every line on the map was black, which made it harder to follow. Her face scrunched up as she tried to memorize each patrol line.

“You’ll be patrolling the West and East sectors since you’re new. These sectors usually have the lowest rate of sightings. Here’s the map so you can memorize your route. I’ll give you a few minutes. After you’re done, you can start.”

Meadow stared at him in astonishment. That was all he was going to teach her? He must have read the look on her face right because he said, “The rest is merely instinct.”

Merely instinct my ass, Meadow huffed in her head. Just because it was instinctual didn’t mean she actually knew how to do it! She didn’t know how to fight a vampire if she ran across one and she didn’t know how to control her thinking. She really wanted to pull her hair out but she didn’t have time to throw a fit. She had to memorize her route and fast.

“Time’s up,” Sam said as he took the map from her hands and rolled it up. She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. 

“Go,” he ordered. “Jared will relieve you when you’re done.”

She shifted into her wolf form and shook out her fur before running off. Immediately, the thoughts of her younger brother invaded her head. His thoughts mainly revolved around one brunette that resided in the neighboring town. Meadow rolled her eyes at the direction his thoughts were trailing. He was upset that she had actually been dating a vampire; his natural enemy. And she knew about it! He couldn’t figure out why she would voluntarily do something that dangerous.

_Would it be any different if she was dating you?_ Meadow asked.

_Of course!_ he shouted. _She’s human and he’s a creature that drinks human blood._

_Wolves are dangerous, too,_ Meadow said as she pictured an image of Emily. She hadn’t gotten the full backstory, but it was obvious that it was one of the guys who did it. The scars were shaped like something ran its claws down her face. It’s plausible that a bear did actually do it, but as far as Meadow was aware, Emily wasn’t one to go hiking. And since Sam wasn’t directly hateful towards any of the boys, it had to have been him who had done it.

_We’re monsters in our own right_, she said. He was contemplative for a moment before he huffed and grumbled.

_We’re still better than those bloodsuckers._

The two sibling wolves crossed paths and Jake winked at her before speeding off in the opposite direction. Meadow rolled her eyes at his antics before concentrating on her task. She smelled something suspicious and checked it out, only to figure out that it was an old trail. She was annoyed that she had to spend a whole five minutes to figure out the damn smell when she could’ve been running still. 

_What do you think I should do, MeMe?_ Jake asked.

_You can’t tell her, Jake,_ Meadow warned him. She could picture the fit Sam would throw if Jake told Bella about their true nature. 

I can’t just let her think I abandoned her! She needs me! he yelled.

_Let everything settle first_, she advised. _It’s hypocritical of me to say this but Bella can wait. Even though you shifted earlier than I did, you’re still a new wolf. Adapt first and then figure everything out second._

_Adapt first then talk to her? _he asked hesitantly. She nodded her head. When she realized he couldn’t see her actions, she called herself stupid and verbally affirmed it.

_I’m just- what if she’s my imprint and I’m making her wait?_

_All the more reason to wait. It’s too much at once, Jake. Believe me. Besides, she might not be, too._

_I just have this feeling. I feel like I have to be near her whenever I think about her_, he confessed.

_It’s probably just your crush on her. Don’t do anything rash, Jake. Think of Embry and how he was with me_, she said.

_You mean how he still is_, Jake snorted. 

_He’ll grow out of it. Just like you’ll grow out of your crush with Bella._

_The day Jake gets over Bella Swan is the day I give up chicken wings,_ Jared said.

_That'll be the day,_ Embry said.

_You here to relieve us?_ Jake asked.

Y_eah, we came as soon as the last bell rang,_ Embry said. _How are you doing with everything, MeMe?_

_Fine_, she said. _How’s Quil doing?_

After clearing her head last night, Quil had popped into her head and she wondered how he was doing. For some stupid reason, Sam wouldn’t allow Jake or Embry to socialize with him anymore. It makes sense that they can’t hang out as much after school because of patrolling and the threat of vampires, but they should at least be able to talk to each other in school. 

_He’s not taking all of this well_, Embry admitted. He projected the one-sided argument he had with Quil earlier on in the day. Quil was cursing his and Jake’s name while accusing them of abandoning him to hang out with Sam. He looked more hurt and confused than angry.

_You should talk to him_, she suggested.

_We’re not allowed, you know that_, Jake said resigned.

_He didn’t order you to. He just__ told__ you not to,_ she pointed out.

_....you’re right, but Sam will be mad if we do_, Jake said.

_That’s his problem_, she said off-handedly.

_It’s not a good idea_, Jared said, though his surrounding thoughts contradicted his main thought. He, like the rest of them, knew how painful it was to drop your friends for their new lifestyle.

_He’ll ask a lot of questions we can’t answer_, Embry said.

_Because you’ve made it complicated. If you hadn’t avoided him for so long, he wouldn’t have a reason to ask so many questions_, Meadow reasoned.

_It’s too late_, Jake said. _We’ll just have to wait and hope he shifts, too._

_Quil might shift?_ Meadow asked worriedly.

_Yeah, he’s part of the three main bloodlines that started it all_, Jared answered. 

_Black, Ateara, and Uley_, she guessed correctly.

_Yup_, Embry said. 

Jared reached Meadow’s location and relieved her of her new duty. She ran in her wolf form until she reached Jake in his. She told him to shift back so they could walk together to Sam’s and Emily’s house. She appeared in a worn-down shirt and cut-offs and Jake appeared a few seconds later in just cut-offs.

“Why couldn’t we just run all the way back,” he whined.

“I need to ask you some things,” she said. Jake got the hint that it was something that was supposed to stay between the two of them. 

“What’s up, MeMe?” he asked seriously.

“Wasn’t our great-grandfather the chief of the tribe and the Alpha of the original pack?” she asked.

“Yup,” he said, popping the ‘p’. “Why?”

“So, why is Sam the Alpha?” 

“He shifted first,” Jake said in an obvious way. “He asked me if I wanted the position, but I’m not ready for it. Besides, I don’t want all of that responsibility and he’s been a wolf longer than I have.”

Meadow scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and pursed her lips.

“He didn’t ask me,” she muttered.

“He didn’t?” Jake asked in surprise. She shook her head and stared hard at the ground. Her fists clenched and she got all worked up. She didn’t think she was mentally ready for that sort of position, but she still felt some type of way for being left out. She was a Black, after all, so she was technically in line for the position. 

“That’s weird. It’s one of the first things he mentioned when I shifted,” Jake admitted. “Don’t worry about it, MeMe. I’m sure he just thinks you’ll say the same thing I did. Do you want to be Alpha?”

“Not right now, no.”

“Not right now?”

“Not right now.”

“So you want to be Alpha in the future, then,” Jake concluded.

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Is this just because you don’t like Sam?” Jake questioned. “He’s tough and it sucks most of the time, but he’s a good leader.”

It wasn’t because she didn’t like Sam, though that was a good reason in itself. She didn’t like his method to the madness that was a shifter’s life. She felt like she’d been thrown off a boat and into the deep ocean without any swimming lessons. It was one thing to tell someone how to swim, and it was another to actually be guided through it. It’s like math. You can be shown how to solve a quadratic equation by a teacher, but until you do one and continuously do them, you need to be guided through it. 

She wasn’t being guided through anything. She was just being told what to do, kind of like a mindless soldier. But that was the difference between her and the rest of the boys. She wasn’t going to go along with whatever her Alpha said without questioning him. She wasn’t going to run after a ball after being told fetch like a dog without asking why she was fetching in the first place. 

“Just give him a chance,” Jake said after scratching the back of his head. “Isn’t that one of the things you used to tell me when I was younger?”

“Yeah,” she said. The small house came into view and Jake let out a holler as the two of them walked through the back door. Sam and Paul were sitting at the kitchen table discussing something when Meadow and Jake walked in. They stopped talking and greeted the siblings. Meadow’s eyes met Paul’s before they drifted off and stopped on Sam. She met his eyes and immediately felt threatened. They were like black abysses. They challenged her to say something, anything that went against his ideology.

She didn’t have an end goal yet. All she knew was that she was not going to sit by and let Sam run her life. She narrowed her eyes and stood her ground.


	19. Chapter 19

Meadow was sitting in her room, avoiding her dad, at the moment. He seemed to be a lot more interested in her life now that she had shifted. It was a given. She knew he would change simply because his whole life revolved around the legends. Maybe Rebecca and Rachel had the right idea in leaving so soon. 

There was a knock at her door, causing her head to spring up. She removed her earbuds from her ears and tuned in to her surroundings. There was another knock, this time a little unsure. With a roll of her eyes, she stood up from her bed and opened the door.

“Hey,” Paul said with a smile. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt black and a pair of jeans. Meadow raised an eyebrow and appraised his figure. 

“You wanna hang out today?” he asked.

“I’m trying to catch up on my work,” she said while pointing to the textbook laying open on her bed. 

“C’mon. Just for today. Then you can go back and do whatever it is you were doing,” he said. She sighed and was about to reject his offer again when she remembered she promised she would try. 

“Alright,” she said. “Let me get dressed first.”

Paul blushed a little when he realized she was wearing shorts and a tank top. She pushed him out of her room and closed the door in his face. Seeing as how Paul had decided to dress up, she sifted through her closet to find something suitable, as well. Most of her clothing was black, which she didn’t want to wear because Paul was wearing black. 

She found a navy blue short-sleeved shirt v-neck and threw it on, as well as a pair of skinny jeans. She grabbed one of her only pairs of sneakers and threw them in the hallway before closing her bedroom door and going into the bathroom to freshen up.

When she was done, she approached Paull, who was sitting on the couch with her father and gave him a bored expression. He leaped up from his seat and said his goodbyes to Billy before leading her out of the house.

“Where are we going?” she asked. 

“We’re going to go to Sue’s diner for dinner,” he said. “I don’t have enough money to do anything better than that but.....”

“It’s fine,” Meadow said. “I like eating.”

She only said anything because she didn’t want him to feel bad for not doing more. She really didn’t care whether or not he spent money on her. She wasn’t that type of person. She appreciated more so the fact that someone wanted to spend time with her. He led her to the diner and they sat in one of the corner booths. Sue walked over to them and handed them a menu each and left them to decide what they wanted to eat with a wink of her eye.

“I know that last time we went out on a date was crap, but I promise it won’t turn out that way this time,” Paul said after they ordered. He sipped on a cold glass of Coke.

“Let’s hope not,” Meadow said as she glanced around the room. She was nervous. Now that she’d accepted Paul’s offer to open up, she didn’t know what to do with herself. She was scared to open up. She figured that if she didn’t make eye contact with him, he’d cease all conversation. She should have known better.

“I’m gonna talk to you regardless if you’re looking at me or not,” he said. Meadow made eye contact with him before looking down at the table. She watched her fingers dance with one another and silently wished she was better at conversing with people. Paul reached across the table and grabbed one of her hands in his. He squeezed it and looked at her with an expression of reassurance.

“I’m not asking for a paragraph. Just give me a few sentences.”

She hesitated before she said, “I don’t know what to talk about. No one’s ever........no one’s ever asked me to talk with them about stuff.”

“Then, I’ll start. Can you help me with my math homework?” he asked cheekily. She immediately scowled and shook his hand away from hers.

“Did you take me on this date just to get math help?” she asked.

“Maybe?” he said jokingly.

She shook her head and gulped. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go down this route, but she needed to. There were things she needed to work on for the goals she had in mind. If she couldn’t do this, then she couldn’t achieve any of her wanted future.

“I’ll help under one condition,” she said.

“Name it,” Paul said quickly.

“Ask me how I’m doing every day and never take ‘I’m fine’ as an answer. Ask me what I like to do and what I’d like to see. Ask me any- and everything,” she said. She felt very vulnerable, but it had to be done. She couldn’t stay in her shell anymore.

Paul’s eyes softened and he said, “What do you think I’m trying to do, Flower?”

She held his gaze for a while before she let a small laugh escape her mouth.

“Flower?” she questioned.

“Well, your name is Meadow, and meadows are filled with flowers,” he reasoned as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Not Grass?” she asked comically.

He deadpanned before he said, “Do you want me to call you Weed?”

“Definitely not.”

“Flower it is, then.”

She hummed, then she hesitated. She twiddled her thumbs before saying, “Flowers remind me of love.”

“Because you give them to people you love?” Paul asked.

“No...I was thinking that flowers need nurtured and so does love. And without that nurture, flowers shrivel and die. So does love.” 

“So....love is flower-like?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Meadow said quietly. 

“Where’d that come from?” he asked a little bewildered.

“I don’t know,” she said shyly. She shrugged her shoulders and a blush rushed across her face.

“It just came to my mind when you mentioned flowers.”

“I guess it’s fitting, then,” Paul said with a smile. Their food arrived at their table, so they began eating.

“So, how are you adjusting?” he asked her. “I know it’s not easy.”

“It’s fine,” she said automatically. She froze and sheepishly looked at her date. He raised an eyebrow at her and motioned with his hand to elaborate.

“Uh, I mean, it’s a bit difficult,” she confessed.

“Is it the patrols? I told Sam he shouldn’t start you on those so soon.”

“Not that. I just miss going to school,” she said.

“....Are you planning on going to college?” Paul asked nervously.

“I won’t run away like my sisters did. I just like learning and being at school,” she told him. He let out a breath of relief and his whole form seemed to deflate.

“I might walk away from my problems, but I don’t run away from them,” she said confidently. 

“So what do you want to do then?” he asked.

“Do I even have a choice in the matter?” she asked. “Will Sam let me keep a job other than the whole wolf thing?”

“He can’t ban you from keeping another job as long as it doesn’t get in the way.”

“And that’s the problem,” Meadow whispered under her breath.

“Is something wrong, Meadow?”

“No,” she denied. “I’m just getting used to everything, is all.”

“It gets better. I hated it, too, at first. I still hate it sometimes, but it’s brought a lot of good to my life.”

“‘I’m glad to hear that,” she said. And she was. She was happy being a wolf brought positive things to other people’s lives and didn’t hinder their lives like it did hers. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t still complain about it. Until there were changes, none of it would make her happy.

After they ate, Paul led her out of the diner. He grabbed her hand and walked beside her. His hand felt foreign in her grasp, but it was hot and felt like home. He led them to the beach, where they walked alongside the waves. Meadow stopped and picked up a broken seashell. She glanced through the hole and saw a brown eye staring back at her. She tsked and threw the shell on the sand while Paul chuckled. 

He caught her in an embrace and stared down at her. His smiling face grew serious as he focused on her. She stared back at him. Her eyes enlarged when he slowly leaned in. He was centimeters away from kissing her when she used her hand to stop him. He looked at her confused and a little embarrassed.

“Uh, sorry,” he said.

“Don’t be,” Meadow said quietly. “You’re just gonna have to do more than this to prove I should stay.”

He looked shocked for a moment before he grinned ferociously. He placed one hand under her knees and pulled her up into a bridal carry. Meadow shrieked uncharacteristically and threw her arms around his neck in an attempt to keep her from falling. 

“What was that for?” she questioned loudly.

“To show you what you’re in for,” he replied with a smirk. 

“Paul put me down,” she said sternly. When he complied, she walked off as quickly as she could.

“I like a good chase,” he said before he ran after her.

* * *

A few weeks later, Meadow was running patrol when she caught the scent of a vampire. She alerted her pack member, Embry, who was on patrol with her, and he immediately headed in her direction. He let out a howl to warn the others of her discovery. She mentally noted that next time she should howl. She followed the trail and was led to a clearing. In the clearing was a dark-skinned vampire with ruby red eyes and a familiar face. Bella Swan. He was holding her by her neck and looked like he was about to bite her. Meadow snarled at the vampire, her hackles rising in response to his presence. She bared her teeth and took a warning step towards him.

“I don’t believe it,” he said. He took small, slow steps away from Bella and held his hands in the air as if he was surrendering. Meadow’s ear twitched as she heard her pack members nearing her. 

_ Don’t engage until we’re there, _ Sam told her. So, she waited until they flanked her. Eventually, she was surrounded by her pack members; they were in a formation that gave her the most protection. The silver one on her left discreetly nudged her to check on her. Seeing the disadvantage he had, the vampire turned and ran away.

_ Follow him, _ Sam ordered. He ran forward first and was followed by Jared, Paul, and Embry. Meadow hesitated when she sensed her brother’s lack of motion. He was staring at Bella, ignoring the order he was given. Based on his thoughts, he badly wanted to imprint on her, but nothing was happening.

_ Jake! Meadow!  _ Sam shouted. Jake turned away from Bella and shot forward. Meadow did the same. When she caught up to them, she cringed at what she saw. She wasn’t prepared to see anything, human or not, get torn to pieces. She watched as Jared ripped the vampire’s arm off, swishing his head back and forth. A teeth-gritting sound entered the area when the arm detached from the body. Meadow expected blood to spurt everywhere, but nothing actually came out. The end of the arm was a much paler color of his skin color and it looked more like it was made out of stone than flesh.

When they finished ripping apart the body, Sam ordered Paul to burn the body. And that was that. She didn’t know how to feel about what she witnessed. Honestly, it was scary to watch. 

_ It’s a part of what we are, _ Sam said. His black wolf form stared her down as he followed the path her thoughts went down.

_ That doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with it _ , Meadow replied. 

_ You’ll get used to it _ , he said.

_ Yeah, it’s not as bad as it seems _ , Jared said. _ It’s not like its human anyway. _

_ Is that how you see the Cullens, too?  _ she asked. She wondered how they viewed their vampire ‘allies’.

Paul sneered in his head and said,  _ They’re nothing but a bunch of bloodsuckers. Why see them as anything else? _

For some reason, she felt uneasy about what they said. She didn’t know why, but she felt it was unfair of them to judge the Cullens so harshly. She didn’t know the vampires, but she knew they were ‘vegetarians’; that they only fed from animals. That had to count for something, right?

_ Any vampire is a bad one, _ Paul told her.

_ Right. They can’t ignore their instincts all the time _ , Jared pointed out.

_ Aren’t we the same? _ Meadow asked hesitantly. She was alluding to the fact that there were times where they couldn’t control their urge to shift no matter how hard they tried.

_ Naw. They’re too far gone _ , Embry said. 

Jake followed up by saying,  _ There’s nothing human about them anymore. _

_ You’ve talked to them before?  _ she asked.

_ Don’t need to,  _ Jared said. 

Meadow thought over their reasons and still felt dissatisfied. She guessed it was just one more thing to add to her list of changes.


	20. Chapter 20

As the weeks went by, Meadow finally got used to her new lifestyle. She ran in her wolf form more confidently and she memorized the patrol routes so she wasn’t constantly asking about them. She was still uncomfortable with getting naked every time she wanted to shift, but luckily, the boys gave her privacy. The only thing she was still unsure about was ripping apart vampires. She couldn’t separate the creature from the appearance. She was forced, once, by Sam to rip a piece off a vampire a while ago. She was scared to do it, but Sam said it was something she needed to get over.

She was quiet for days after that incident and refused to speak to anyone. They didn’t understand why she felt that way she did, so she didn’t see the need to talk to them about it. She knew that to be a successful shifter, she needed to get over her fear, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. 

Other than that, everything was quiet. Well, except for the sneaky red-headed vampire that kept creeping onto the Reservation. It was the same red-head who Meadow had encountered on her first day as a shifter. Anytime the vampire caught sight of Meadow, she’d smirk and taunt her with her facial expressions. It absolutely pissed Meadow off, but she couldn’t do anything about it. The woman was fast and was somehow able to escape even the trickiest situations.

How did you catch and kill someone who could wriggle their way out of anything? Meadow felt like they needed to ambush her somehow. Obviously, the vampire would be able to smell them before they got a chance to pounce, but they could get her if they tricked her instead of vice-versa. They could confuse her and make her think there was only one or two of them when in actuality, all of them were on her tail. 

She sighed and ran her fingers through her short, black tendrils. She’d just gotten a much-needed haircut. Her hair had grown past her shoulders without her realizing it, so she’d gotten it shortened to a chin-length bob. Her face was free of bangs and she felt the haircut suited her much more than longer waves. She looked out the window and saw morning take over the night.

She stood from her bed and stretched. She frowned when she heard a knock on the front door. She heard her dad tell the person to come in. Light flooded the hallway and her dad said, “Well, good morning, Bella. What are you doing up so early?”

Bella Swan. Another problem. She’s been hounding Jake, Meadow, and Billy almost every day for updates on Jake. For a straight week after Jake’s transformation, the phone rang every hour. It was annoying and got on Meadow’s nerves. The worst was when she showed up and waited outside the house for Jake to return. She argued with him for about ten minutes in the rain until she took the hint and left. Meadow thought she’d given up, but here she was.

“Hey, Billy. I need to talk to Jake. Where is he?” Bella asked. 

“Um... I don’t really know,” Billy said. Meadow rolled her eyes at her father’s terrible lying skills.

“Do you know what Charlie is doing this morning?” Bella asked in a demanding tone. Meadow was starting to get upset at the way she was talking to him. 

“Should I?” Bolly questioned.

“He and half the other men in town are all out in the woods with guns, hunting giant wolves.”

Meadow froze and listened intently to their conversation. Hunters would complicate things and there was a bigger chance of another human dying at the hands of the vampires lurking in the woods.

“I’d like to talk to Jake about that, if you don’t mind,” Bella continued. There was a pause before Billy spoke again.

“I’d bet he’s still asleep. He’s out late a lot these days. The kid needs his rest, so you probably shouldn’t wake him.”

“It’s my turn,” Bella muttered before walking through the small house. Meadow quickly opened the door and protectively stood in front of Jake’s door with her arms crossed. She stared down Bella when she rounded the corner. The young Swan froze up and lost some of her confidence before she approached Meadow.

“I need to talk to him,” Bella said stubbornly.

“He needs his sleep,” Meadow said as she glared at the girl. Jake was one of the favorites to run patrols. She didn’t know why, but Sam apparently thought he was good at it. So, he’d been spending a lot of time running around and a lot less time sleeping. When he trudged through the front door a few hours before sunrise, he looked dead. She wasn’t going to let Bella interrupt his sleep.

“I’m not asking,” Bella said. Meadow’s fists clenched and she leaned forward in Bella’s face. Her frame started lightly shaking and her vision was as if she were staring through a red lens.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Meadow grounded out.

“Meadow, let her through so she can leave,” Billy said. Meadow looked at him in disbelief before she fully registered his words. She nodded sharply and moved off to the side. Bella would be allowed to peak into his room and then she’d leave.

Bella slammed open the door, causing it to bang against the wall. Meadow clenched her teeth in annoyance but made no move to stop her. Jake was wearing the same cut-offs he’d worn last night. He was stretched out diagonally across his bed; his legs were hanging off the edge and the top of his head was close to hanging off the other. He was lightly snoring with his mouth hanging wide open and looked to be in a deep sleep.

“Happy?” Meadow asked as she grabbed the doorknob and quietly closed the door in Bella’s face. Bella smiled sheepishly and exited the house. Meadow followed her to make sure she actually left. She stood in the open doorway and watched as Bella got in her truck. She was half-way in her truck when there was a holler. Meadow’s head swiveled in the direction of the noise and groaned. Bad timing.

Sam, Paul, Embry, and Jared emerged from the treeline and were making their way to the house. Bella slammed her door shut and walked in their direction. Meadow informed her dad what was going on and he told her to wake him up. Knowing there was no other choice, Meadow ran to his room and shook him awake. He groaned and tried throwing a pillow over his head, but she grabbed the fluffy object before he could.

“What?” he asked gruffly.

“Bella’s confronting the guys,” Meadow said. Jacob popped out of bed and ran a hand down his face before he looked outside the window. He cursed and threw the window open. He jumped out and yelled, “Bella!”

“Run! Jake run!” Bella screamed. Meadow popped her head through the window to see what was going on. Paul had transformed into his wolf form and was menacingly stalking towards Bella. Bella was running in Jake’s direction, who jumped over her and shifted mid-air. Meadow as highly impressed with his shifting abilities, but she was very annoyed at Paul’s and Bella’s actions.

Jake growled at Paul before the two of them started fighting. No doubt, she’d have to hear about it for weeks to come. She jumped out the window, landing softly on the balls of her feet. She walked over to Bella and said, “Should’ve just left.”

“Take Bella back to Emily’s place,” Sam ordered before he shifted and ran after the two fighting boys. Embry and Jared walked up to the two girls. 

“Guess the wolf’s out of the bag,” Embry said. “Way to go, Jake”

“Aren’t you worried about them at all?” Bella asked incredulously.

“Worried? Why?” he asked.

“They could hurt each other!” Bella exclaimed. Meadow snorted and went to pick up the discarded clothing and shoes. 

“You don’t know anything,” Meadow said, “and you shouldn’t.”

“Lighten up, MeMe,” Embry said as he bumped shoulders with her. “Now we don’t have to listen to Jake’s inner monologue.”

“I’ll bet you ten bucks Paul leaves a mark on Jake,” Jared said.

“You’re on,” Embry accepted the bet. “Jake’s a natural.”

“You want in on the bet?” Jared asked Meadow as she inspected a torn-up shoe.

“She’ll probably just bet in favor of her boyfriend,” Embry muttered, making sure not to use that word in front of Bella.

“Ten against Paul,” she surprisingly said. Embry’s and Jared’s eyes widened before Jared laughed and smirked.

“I knew I liked you for a reason,” Embry said as he threw an arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t push it,” Meadow said. She shrugged his arm off and turned her attention to Bella.

“We’re gonna need a ride,” she said while pointing at the red, rusty Ford. 

“S-sure,” Bella stuttered. She walked to her truck with wobbly knees and barely made it before her body folded in on itself. Jared groaned and asked her if she was going to throw up.

“I’ll drive,” Meadow said. She took the keys out of Bella’s hands and situated herself in the driver’s seat. “Embry, Jared, sit in the back.”

When they got to Emily’s Jared and Embry hopped out of the back and ran inside after signaling their arrival with a holler. Meadow turned off the engine and jumped out of the cab. She waited for Bella to get out before she made her way to the house. A thought crossed her mind, so she stopped and turned to look at Bella.

“Don’t stare at Emily,” Meadow warned the pale girl. The smell of blueberry and banana nut muffins infiltrated her nostrils and carried her to the kitchen. Jared and Embry were already wolfing down softball-sized muffins when she entered.

“Meadow, how are you?” Emily asked. 

“Just dandy,” she said before plopping down in one of the available kitchen chairs and grabbing a banana nut muffin.

“Oh, who’s this?” Emily asked. Bella was standing in the doorway with an unsure look on her face. 

“Bella Swan. Who else?” Jared said with a shrug. Emily, the ever welcoming woman, motioned for Bella to sit at the table with the rest of them. Bella declined and remained standing.

“Leave it to Jacob to find a way around it,” Emily said with a shake of her head. “So, you’re the vampire girl.”

“Yes,” Bella said uncomfortably. “And you are the wolf girl?”

Everyone except Meadow laughed at Bella’s question, causing the girl to blush. 

“I guess I am. Well, Meadow, too,” Emily amusedly said. 

“Embry mentioned you were dating one of them,” Bella said.

“Where’s Sam?” Emily asked worriedly.

“Ah, Bella, er, surprised Paul this morning,” Jared said sheepishly.

“Of course it’s Paul,” Emily said with a roll of her eyes. “Do you think they’ll be long? I was about to start the eggs.”

“Don’t worry,” Embry said. “We won’t let anything go to waste.”

“No doubt. Bella are you hungry? Help yourself,” Emily said. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a big carton of eggs. Bella thanked Emily and grabbed a blueberry muffin. Meadow grabbed another banana nut muffin and watched Bella nibble on hers. Meadow wasn’t sure how to feel about the events that took place. On the one hand, she wanted to scream at Bella and tell her to go home. However, she knew she had to be shaken up from Paul’s actions and shouldn’t be alone.

The back door opened and Sam walked in. He greeted Emily by capturing her face in his hands and peppering her scars with kisses before kissing her on the lips. Meadow grimaced at the affection, but she secretly imagined Paul being so loving with her. She scowled and aggressively bit into her muffin.

“Hey, none of that!” Jared complained. “I’m eating!”

“Then shut up and eat,” Sam said before kissing Emily. Embry groaned. The door opened again. This time, it was Jacob and Paul. They were laughing and goofing off with each other. No surprise there, Meadow thought. Jake scanned the room and landed on Bella. 

“Hey, Bella,” he greeted her cheerfully. He grabbed a muffin and bit into it on his way over to her. “Sorry about before. How are you holding up?”

“Don’t worry, I’m okay. Good muffins,” she said as she held up her muffin. Meadow watched the two of them interact with a frown on her face. She was not happy with Jake’s decision. Bella wasn’t his imprint or anything to Jake and since the Cullens left, she has no right to know anything about the wolves. She was conflicted. A wail broke her train of thoughts. She looked up to see Embry smirking and Jared inspecting the fading pink line on Paul’s forearm with a fervor.

“Pay up!” Embry said. Jared grumbled before pulling out a ten-dollar bill. He made eye contact with Meadow and she held a hand out. Jared whined and pulled out another ten-dollar bill. He placed it in her hands and she grinned. 

“Not a scratch on me,” Jake declared. Paul rolled his eyes and made his way over to Meadow. He pecked her on the cheek and sat down in the chair next to her. 

“You bet against me?” he pouted slightly.

“Jared’s always wrong,” Meadow said with a shrug. Paul pulled his chair closer to her and threw an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her body close to his and kissed her on the cheek again. Meadow protested in embarrassment and pushed his face away.

“There’s too much love in here,” Jared said.

“Hey guys,” Sam said in a loud voice. “Jake said Bella has some information for us.”

All heads turned to stare at her and she shied away from the attention. She cleared her throat and said, “I mentioned Victoria to Jake on accident.”

“Victoria?” Jared asked.

“Um, the red-headed vampire. She’s after me,” Bella confessed. 

“Why?” Meadow asked.

“Edward killed her mate last year and now she wants to kill me.”

“An eye for an eye,” Embry muttered.

“So that’s why she’s been trying to get past us. She must be heading for Forks,” Sam concluded.

“Excellent!” Jared exclaimed. “We’ve got bait!”

Meadow thought it would be a good plan. It would definitely help ambush her. But there were risks and Bella’s life would be put at risk. It was a shifter’s duty to protect humans and using Bella as bait was not protecting her. Jake yanked a can opener from the counter and chucked it at Jared’s head. Jared evaded a hit by catching the metal object.

“Bella is not bait,” Jacob protested. 

“You know what I mean,” Jared said unashamedly.

“We’ll be changing our patterns,” Sam informed everyone. “We’ll try leaving a few holes and see if she falls for it. We’ll have to split up, and I don’t like that. But if she’s really after Bella, she probably won’t try to take advantage of our divided numbers.”

“Quil will be joining us soon,” Embry muttered. Meadow didn’t know if she should be happy or upset. She wanted him to join them so he could be in the know, but she didn’t want him fated to their life. It was inevitable, though. It was just a matter of when. 

“Well, we won’t count on that,” Sam said. “We’ll be running around the land instead of through it. Paul, Embry, and Meadow will be taking the outer perimeter. Jacob, Jared, and I will be taking the inner perimeter. We’ll collapse in when we’ve got her trapped.”

“You should spend as much time as possible in La Push, Bella,” Meadow commented. “She won’t be able to find you as easily and you’ll have closer protection.”

“I agree with Meadow,” Jake said.

“What about Charlie?” Bella asked. 

“March Madness is still going,” Jake said. “I think dad and Harry can manage to bring him down here.”

“You’ll be careful right?” Bella asked timidly. Everyone burst into laughter except Emily and Meadow. Meadow knew the risks they took by being shifters, but because none of them have actually gotten hurt, they take it as a joke most of the time. Meadow hit Paul in the side and he jolted from the pain. He took one look at her and sobered up. He sighed and placed his hand over hers.

“I know,” he said.

* * *

“Do you think we’ll always have to shift?” Meadow asked Paul. They were walking outside while everyone else was having dinner together. Charlie was invited to introduce him to the people Bella will be spending her time with. 

“Maybe. Who knows,” Paul said with a shrug.

“Do you want to?” she asked.

“If I have to.”

“I don’t want to be young forever,” she commented as she looked up at the stars. “I want to grow old. With you.”

Paul wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on the top of hers.

“Finally admitting I’m awesome” he joked. She jabbed him in his stomach and pushed him away from her with a smile. 

“You’re alright.”

“Just alright?” he asked. He raised an eyebrow and bit his lip. She giggled and turned away from him.

“I’m worried,” she admitted. 

“We’ll be fine. We always are.”

“This one is much trickier. Besides, I freeze up whenever I have to kill any of them. What I indirectly hurt someone?”

“Hey,” he said. He nudged her with his hip and motioned for her to sit down on a log with him. “I believe in you. And I’ll keep believing in you until the day I die.”

“Don’t say such things.”

The thought of Paul dying made her chest hurt. She couldn’t imagine his smirking face filled with pain or emptiness. 

“Meadow!”

She turned around and saw her dad looking at her. People were coming out of the house, causing her to conclude that dinner was over.

“Come say goodbye to everyone,” he continued. Meadow sighed and grumbled. 

“Are you still not on good terms with him?” Paul asked quietly. Meadow stood up and dusted off her pants.

“You should talk to him,” Paul said firmly. 

“He won’t understand,” she said.

“You thought that way about me,” he reminded her.

“...fine.”

Paul grabbed her hand and walked with her back to the house.

“Just remember to listen and don’t hold back.”


	21. Chapter 21

_ Meadow, watch out!  _ Sam warned her. A bullet whizzed by her. Thankfully, it didn’t hit her, but it was close. She cursed inwardly and cursed again when she heard snickers come from her pack members. She forgot they could hear her thoughts, so there wasn’t a point in hiding her head cursing any longer.

_ These hunters are annoying,  _ Paul complained. He was riled up and snarling at any hunter we accidentally passed by. He seemed even more upset because they had almost hurt her. 

Apparently, Bella had informed her dad about huge wolves roaming the woods, and her dad concluded they were the animals killing everyone. Sadly, they were wrong. Now, the pack had to deal with hunters patrolling the woods to find and kill them. On top of that, they had to deal with Victoria and some of her vampiric minions. It wasn’t hard to connect the multiple vampire sightings with the redhead’s appearance. They tried their hardest to get to Forks, so Bella was their obvious target.

_Deal with it, for now,_ Sam said. _They’ll get bored and leave us alone in due time._

_ Yeah, well that time is long overdue,  _ Jared said. Meadow saw the raven-haired vampire they were chasing and changed her direction. She leaped over a fallen tree and continued her pursuit. She growled when the male jumped onto a tree branch and pushed him. He propelled himself forward and farther away from her.

_ Having trouble, MeMe,  _ Jake snickered. He was racing through the foliage with Embry. They were tracking down a separate vampire than her. The vampire was able to manipulate water and was harshly soaking the duo. Meadow had been shocked to learn that some vampires had gifts or superpowers, basically. They were hard to kill already, but they just had to level up even more. 

_ I got it, _ Meadow said through gritted teeth. She wasn’t sure if she had it, though. She didn’t know if she would be able to kill the creature. Something within her just wouldn’t let her kill another living thing. She briefly wondered that if she pictured the vampire as a bug, would it be easier to kill him. 

_ Do you need help?  _ Paul asked worriedly. He was anxious about leaving his imprint alone; however, she needed to do this on her own. How would she gain any respect if she couldn’t kill a vampire? Simple: She wouldn’t. Paul was chasing a pair of vampires with Sam and Jared. They didn’t know what their gifts were, but they had to have one else the trio would have caught them already. She was on her own and needed to end it quickly; else, she’ll get injured by the hunters.

The vampire ran until a wall of rock hindered him from moving forward. He seemed to assess the wall, hesitating before taking action. That was his downfall. Meadow leaped in the air and locked her jaws around his neck. She felt her teeth sink into his granite skin. The feeling was terrible and she didn’t want to feel it anymore, but she had to finish him off. She tightened her grip and swung her head from side to side until the appendage separated from the body.

She immediately spit out the head and looked away in disgust. Then she realized that she had to look at it. She had to finish what she started. There wasn’t time to be a big baby about it anymore. She quickly but surely ripped the vampire apart and shifted to her human form to burn the body. She stayed that way so she could stay in her own thoughts. She shivered in disgust at the smell permeating through the trees and moved away from the burning body.

She stumbled upon a stream and crouched down so she could dip her hands in it and splash water on her face. She repeated the actions a few times more before she sat back and thought. She thought about the way the vampire screamed when she killed him. How desperate his face looked right before her jaws locked on him.

She also thought about the scene in which she found him. He had his teeth stuck in some girl’s neck. He was greedily drinking from her and stealing her life away. Who was he to take someone’s life; who was he to determine who lived and who didn’t? Then again, who was she to take the vampire’s life? Didn’t she just decide to do the exact same thing he did?

Meadow heard a twig snap behind and turned around. Paul was standing behind her with an unreadable expression on his face. He walked up to her and sat beside her. He threw an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. No. Please don’t, she thought emotionally. She didn’t want his comfort. She didn’t want to cry. Why was she crying? Why did she feel so deeply about it when the others didn’t?

She struggled against him, but he opposed her and succeeded in holding her. She broke down against his chest and sought comfort from him. She felt safe and comfort radiating from him. All she could do was soak up the attention and love he was giving her. She sniffled and pulled away from him. She still wasn’t comfortable with such prolonged moments of touch.

“Was it this hard for you?” she asked quietly. She kept her eyes away from him and refused to make eye contact.

“It was hard, but I got over it a lot quicker than you are,” he confessed. “They look like people, so it was hard at first, but once you realize they aren’t, it’s easier to kill them.”

She tried imagining the vampire as what he was - a vampire. She pictured the feral way in which he bit down on the girl’s neck. She pictured the pleasing look in his eyes as he fed and she pictured the small trail of blood run down from the corner of his mouth. She felt angry and had an urge to hurt him. But then she remembered the look he gave her when she ended his existence. She shut her eyes and hung her head.

“It doesn’t work for me,” she said quietly. Paul sighed and picked up a rock. He threw it, disrupting the wildlife around them. 

“You’re a girl. Maybe you’re just squeamish about it,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. She scoffed and glared at him. She didn’t need to tell him how she felt about his statement. He held his hands up in surrender and leaned away from the deadly aura leaking from her.

“How did you get over here so fast?” she asked suspiciously.

“I disobeyed Sam. He never gave me a direct order, so I was able to sneak away to come to you. I had to make sure you were okay,” he said. She felt a flutter in her chest and absently touched her chest where her heart was. She frowned when she realized her train of thought drifted away from her dilemma and towards Paul. 

“Imprinting is troublesome,” she said shortly. Paul raised his eyebrows and made a noise of indignation. 

“Do you regret imprinting?” he asked seriously. She rolled her eyes and punched him on his arm.

“You ask that everytime I say something that goes against imprinting,” she said.

“Sometimes you act like you don’t want this - us,” he said, gesturing between the two of them. 

“I’m just pointing out the flaws of imprinting. It - it’s not so bad,” she confessed shyly. The small tingles that ran up and down her body from the light touches he gave her and the sense of belonging and being loved she received from it were beyond anything she ever felt. She enjoyed the touch of his lips upon her cheek and the hugs he encompassed her in. She enjoyed the smiles he gave her when he saw her and she enjoyed smiling and the anticipation she felt when she saw him.

But there were downsides. She got distracted too easily when he was near. It was like all of her attention had to go to him and him alone. She fought against that everyday feeling with a fervor, but sometimes she lost and all she could do was watch him. It was especially frustrating when she needed to concentrate hard on important things. 

“Don’t make me out to be the big bad wolf, now,” he said teasingly. He leaned in and bumped his nose with hers. She giggled and slightly pulled away. Her breath caught in her throat when he compensated for the distance and his lips hovered dangerously close to hers. She looked into his eyes and saw the glazed over look that always seemed to take over when he saw her. It made her feel special. She hesitated a split second before she made her decision. She closed the gap between their lips and applied just the smallest amount of pressure. 

Paul snarled and jumped away from her. He shifted and go tinto a defensive position in front of her. She was surprised he pulled away and slightly disappointed. She hadn’t kissed him since their first date and missed the taste of him.

The vampire Jake and Embry were chasing stood in front of them with a smirk on his face. Her brother and his friend were nowhere to be seen. That worried her. It wasn’t like them to let a vampire slip past them.

“It’s a shame I’ll have to kill you,” the vampire said condescendingly. “You make such a cute couple.”

He made the first move and wrapped his arms around Paul. Paul was defenseless as he tried to wriggle the vampire off of him. Meadow immediately shifted. She detached the vampire from her imprint and threw him against a tree. The male slammed against it and caused the tree to moan before it fell hard to the forest floor. He recovered almost instantly and moved a safe distance away from them. 

_ Are you okay?  _ Meadow asked Paul. He grunted and shook his fur before he planted himself in front of her again. She bristled and grumbled at him. 

_ Meme!  _ Embry shouted. He was projecting an image of the forest. It looked like he was somewhere nearby, but she wasn’t certain.

_ What happened?  _ she asked worriedly. Jake was projecting the forest floor. He wasn’t moving.

_ Bloodsucker tried drowning Jake,  _ Embry informed them.  _ Jake’s just trying to catch his breath. _

_ Embry, get to Paul and Meadow,  _ Sam ordered.  _ Jared and I finished this one off already, so I’m headed your way. Jared, check on Jake. We’ll come in different directions to trap him. You said he can only shoot water in one direction? _

_ Yeah. When Jake and I were double teaming him, he could only catch one of us at a time with water,  _ Embry said.

Meadow growled when the vampire took a few steps forward during their distracted state. Paul saw his advance and attacked him. He swiped his paw and the vampire dodged it. He punched Paul, causing a short whimper to escape Paul’s snout. Meadow’s skin prickled and she snarled at the vampire’s offense. She attacked him and was shot with water. She noticed the liquid escaping the stream behind them and cursed their luck.

She shook her fur out and attacked again. This time, she was able to grab ahold of his arm. She shut her jaw until her teeth clacked together and tore through the vampire’s arm entirely. She threw the ligament on the ground and went for his other one when he backhanded her and sent her flying. She hit the ground hard and was dazed by the impact. 

_ Meadow!  _ Paul shouted. He snarled menacingly and was a blur as he attacked the vampire mercilessly. He bit, tore, and scratched with all his might until the vampire was nothing more than a pile of pieces of flesh. Embry and Sam approached them and slowed when they saw the state the vampire was in. Embry lit the vampire on fire while Sam approached Meadow. 

_ Get up,  _ he ordered her. She was still a bit disoriented and clumsily got up so that she sat on her haunches. She panted as she did so, feeling the pain that coursed through her with every breath. It was slowly getting better.

_ You call yourself a protector?  _ Sam asked rudely.  _ What can you protect if you can’t protect yourself? _

_ I’m - I’m trying,  _ Meadow grounded out in between breaths. 

_ Try harder,  _ Sam said.  _ Next time, don’t depend on others to help you. We won’t always be there. _

Paul intervened then and made Sam back away from Meadow. He wasn’t going to let Sam talk to Meadow that way.

_ You disobeyed me,  _ Sam said displeased.

_ Meadow needed me,  _ Paul snarled back.  _ I’m sure if it was Emily, you’d have run off too. _

_ Don’t bring Emily into this,  _ Sam roared.

_ Then don’t bring Meadow into this,  _ Paul snapped.  _ I made the decision, not her. _

_ Whether it was you or her doesn’t matter. She’s a weak link and she needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand. _

_ Don’t talk about her like that!  _ Paul growled out. Everyone else chose to remain silent. They didn’t want to feel the wrath Sam was dishing out. Sam seemed to grow in size as he glared at Paul and oozed a deadly aura.

_ I’ll let it go this once, Paul, but disobey me again and you’ll have to deal with the consequences,  _ Sam cautioned.  _ Let’s go. We need to regroup. _

Paul moved to help Meadow and check up on her. He nudged her with his nose and she whined quietly in response. She wasn’t hurt; she was sorry she got him in trouble.

_ I’m sorry,  _ she said dejectedly.

_ It’s not your fault,  _ he said gently. But why did she feel like it was?


	22. Chapter 22

Meadow walked into school on time for the first time in what felt like forever. She hadn’t been on time since she first started shifting and she had wrecked her perfect attendance because of it. She threw her bag in her locker and grabbed the materials she would need for the first half of school. 

Class wasn’t the same anymore. She couldn’t concentrate due to lack of sleep and her grades had dropped. It wasn’t a drastic drop, but she felt she could do better than a B average. If she didn’t get it together soon, she would be averaging a C. Almost all of her teachers had approached her about it, but she couldn’t give them an exact reason. It frustrated her because she was doing the best she could with her situation. 

When morning classes were over, she trudged to lunch. She was so hungry and wanted nothing more than to eat and take a nap. Thankfully, Paul had patrol, so he wasn’t there to keep her from doing so; well, more like distract her from doing so. She entered the cafeteria and ignored the stares she received. Honestly, if they only knew she was busting her butt and ruining her already terrible reputation for their sakes; they wouldn’t be gossiping like old ladies and pointing fingers at her if they did. She grabbed food enough for two people and sat down at a table by herself. She would’ve sat with Jake and Embry, but she didn’t feel like sitting with them. She really just wanted to be alone. 

She scarfed down her food, not caring what anyone thought of her at that moment, and laid her head down on the cool hard surface of the table afterwards. She heard a bang and felt the table her head laid on vibrate. She sighed and looked up, only to regret it when her eyes met Quil’s. She had avoided him for some time on Sam’s orders. She felt guilty for keeping secrets from him when he was like family, but she didn’t want to get on Sam’s bad side again. He already didn’t like her for some reason, so she wasn’t about to give him another reason to hate her.

“You joined, too, huh?” Quil asked bitterly. She stared at him. She noticed the small dark bags under his eyes and wondered if the loss of his friends kept him up at night. She saw the hurt masked by the determination in his eyes and made up her mind. She nodded her head in affirmation.

“So, you’re just gonna stop talking to me, too?!” he shouted. It garnered the attention of the few tables nearby and Jake’s and Embry’s attention from across the cafeteria. She met their eyes and they silently asked if she needed help. She declined it. She knew what she had to do. It might make Sam mad, but it wasn’t like she was fully disobeying his orders. If Jake could get around Sam’s gag order without consequences then so could she.

“I’ll talk to you,” she said. Quil looked at her in surprise. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Finally, he nodded his head and sat down across from her. She really wanted alone time; time away from others. Being in the boys’ heads and them in hers for hours on end really drained her; however, she would do anything for family.

“You, uh, seem tired,” Quil said after a moment of hesitation.

“Long nights,” she said simply.

“You can, uh, lay down again if you want. Sorry,” he apologized while rubbing the back of his neck. She shrugged and did so.

“You can keep talking. I’ll listen,” she said as she closed her eyes and settled her head on her arms. She saw him nod before her eyes slid closed.

“Why are you talking to me?” he asked. “Jake and Embry don’t.”

“You must have spent too much time around them to forget that they’re idiots,” she said. Quil snorted and Meadow let a small smile slip onto her lips.

_ “Sam told us not to tell Quil anything.” _

Meadow’s ears picked up on the whisper from across the room. Of course it would be Jake to say something. He was protective of her and was displeased with Sam’s actions, but he was a big hypocrite.

_ “I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t already know,”  _ she whispered back.

“Huh?” Quil asked. She shook him off with a shake of her head.

She silently listened to Quil nervously ramble about his day until the lunch bell rang. She picked up her heavy head and stood to throw away her garbage and Quil mirrored her actions. Before Quil could get far, she stopped him and said, “You’re like my brother, Quil. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask. And don’t be so hesitant to talk to me next time.”

He smiled at her and said, “Then, can we hang out after school? It’s kinda lonely, you know, with everything.”

She frowned and said, “I can’t.”

Quil’s smile dropped and he scowled.

“Right. I forgot.”

“But, I’ll call you when I can.”

He beamed at her again and said his goodbyes. He walked off to head to class while Meadow turned to meet the stares pinned to her back. Reluctantly, she walked over to them and the trio walked until they got to a secluded and more private area. Jacob and Embry turned around and stood with their arms crossed and a frown on their faces. 

“Why’d you do that?” Embry asked first. “You’ll get in trouble.”

“I didn’t tell him anything,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter. Sam will still be mad,” Jake said. “You know how he is.”

“Yeah, I know how he is  _ with me _ ,” she said, stressing the last two words. “He isn’t like that with you guys.”

“You do challenge him a lot,” Embry said. Meadow scoffed and looked away from the two younger boys. She wouldn’t stand there and listen to the excuses they were making for their Alpha. 

“If he feels threatened by my challenges, then he shouldn’t be Alpha,” she said in disdain.

“You can’t say stuff like that!” Jake scolded her. 

“What good is a leader who can’t take criticism or challenges?” she asked. She watched as they seemed to think it over. Wariness dawned in their eyes and they pursed their lips.

Embry sighed before he said, “It doesn’t matter. Sam’s the Alpha and what he says, goes. That’s just how it is.”

“And what if it were different?” she asked quietly.

“What, you mean Jake?” Embry asked dubiously. He glanced at Jake and laughed. “Jake will never take the position.”

She frowned and balled up her fists. She wasn’t referring to Jake. She looked down and glared at the floor. The boys were so narrow minded it killed her. She wanted to hit them and make them understand without her saying anything. She had to be careful. They were in each other’s minds far too often to declare anything.

Jake snorted and said, “Yeah, I’ll never take the position. Sam can deal with that.” 

“Just be careful, MeMe,” Embry said softly. He stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened from the contact and her eyes grew sharp. She stared at him in warning, causing him to sigh and step away. Still, he kept his hand where it was and tightened its grip.

“We just don’t want to see you get hurt,” he said before letting her go. They walked off to class while she walked out of the building. Unfortunately, it was her turn to patrol. As soon as she was out of sight, she shifted into her copper and silver form and cleared her mind as best as she could. 

_ I’m here,  _ she informed Paul, Jared, and Sam. Paul immediately changed his direction and raced to get to where she was. It took him about a minute to reach her and he rubbed against her when he did. If her skin wasn’t covered with fur, she was sure she’d be red. She gave him a light and loving bump with her head before she pulled away from him.

_ I get it,  _ she said. She tried to keep her voice stern but hints of amusement leaked out. Paul ignored her and flicked her with his tail. She nipped at his feet in return and ran off to start patrolling. She felt, in her mind, Paul shift and sighed as she realized she was left with the two of the wolves she was least comfortable with. It was silent between them. Uncomfortable. She knew she had to try to at least have some kind of civil relationship with them, so she put aside her personal feelings.

_ Has it been quiet?  _ she asked. She cursed when it came out more timid than she intended. Jared snorted.

_ Don’t push yourself,  _ he said. Sam sighed while Meadow ignored Jared’s dig.

_ Just be civil, just be civil, just be civil,  _ she kept chanting in her head. Then, she remembered they could hear her and she cursed again. Honestly, it was so irritating.

_ Nothing so far. We haven’t seen the redhead in a while, but we still need to stay on our guard,  _ Sam said. Meadow breezed through the trees and scanned her surroundings. It was a pretty quiet day. It was almost peaceful. Tranquil. She breathed in through her nose and basked in the nature around her.

_ Focus, _ Sam snapped at her. 

_ Right. Sorry, _ she said reluctantly. She couldn’t enjoy anything anymore, apparently. 

_ If you get distracted, a vampire could get through, _ he said. She knew he was right, but she had other senses. Usually, they smelled the vampire before they saw it. I was quiet again before Jared spoke up.

_ Did you see Kim today? _ he asked. 

_ And you talk about us,  _ Sam said.

_ I haven’t seen her today yet,  _ he complained.  _ You see Emily every morning and Paul sees Meadow more than I see Kim! _

_ I saw her in the hall,  _ Meadow said.

_ Did you talk to her? _ he asked.  _ Did she ask about me? _

_ I didn’t talk to her,  _ Meadow told him. He whined and muttered in his head.

_ You need to become friends with her, _ Jared said.

_ So you can get details out of me? _ she asked.  _ No thanks. _

Sam interrupted their conversation when he came across a scent. Meadow and Jared rendezvoused with him and helped him sniff out the scent. It was old, but it was one they had missed before. It was going to be a long patrol.

“You already got thirds,” Jared complained when Jacob went up for another burger. Jake avoided the swat Jared aimed at his legs and continued his trek to the food. They were holding a bonfire for the pack and the tribe elders. It was a way to get everyone to bond and such. Meadow sat between Paul’s legs with a plate in her hands and a drink on the sand beside her. Jake passed her as accidentally kicked her drink over. She scowled at him and righted her pop so it wasn’t leaking anymore.

“Here,” Paul said. He handed her his and she accepted it gratefully. She took a swig of it and gave it back to him.

“Keep it,” he said. She deadpanned and gestured towards the ruined pop can.

“If I keep it down here, he’ll just knock it over,” she told him. He smiled sheepishly at her and put the can somewhere safe. Meadow leaned back against Paul and held up the plate of food in her hands. He took the last hotdog on the plate and scarfed it down. Meadow stood to refill the plate, but Paul put a hand on her shoulder and volunteered to do it for them. She watched him walk over to the table of food with a fond look in her eyes.

“I’m surprised he didn’t make you go with him,” Kim said from beside her. Meadow glanced at her in thoughtfulness. She waited for her to elaborate; then, she realized Kim wasn’t familiar with the way she conversed with others.

“Why do you say that?” Meadow asked.

“He doesn’t stop talking about you,” Kim said. “He gets on Jared’s nerves because of it, but I think it’s really sweet.”

Meadow hummed and glanced at Paul again. She thought it was sweet, too. Paul never really seemed like the type of person to brag about anyone except himself. Of course, that’s just based on first appearances. She knew he could be soft when he needed to be and rough when he needed to be, too. Sometimes he was a little rough in certain situations he didn’t have to; for example, he glared at a man once when they went on a date to the bowling alley. Paul thought the guy was flirting with her, but honestly, he was just asking if she wanted cheese with her fries. Paul had gotten an earful after that.

“Jared’s the same way with you,” Meadow told Kim. Kim blushed and a smile slowly grew on her face. Meadow didn’t know if it was the imprinting or if love was just like that, but she noticed that every wolf had a soft spot for their imprint. It was adorable to see the big, bad wolves reduced to puppies when their imprints reprimanded them.

Paul came back with two plates in his hands. Meadow raised an eyebrow and he gave her a sly smile. He handed her one of the plates and kept the other. Her eyes grew in size and she reached to grab something before she narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

“What?” he asked innocently. “I know how much you like sweets, so I thought I’d get you a couple.”

A couple was an understatement. The entire plate was filled with cookies and brownies. If she wasn’t a wolf, she’d get a stomach ache just by eating half of it. It was a nice gesture, but he had ulterior motive. She was sure of it. Shrugging, she ate the contents of the plate happily and rid her fingers of melted chocolate afterwards. 

“All finished?” he asked her. He had finished his plate, too and was patiently waiting for her to get done. She nodded her head and stood to throw her plate away. Paul stood with her. As soon as the plate left her hands, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Meadow let out a noise in protest and banged her fists against his back when he wouldn’t put her down. He laughed and ignored her shouting. He walked in the water and threw her in. She screamed, causing salty water to rush into her mouth. She surfaced and sputtered while Paul laughed at her. 

She glared at him and accepted his challenge. She latched into him and dragged him in with her. She jumped and pushed his head underwater. He grabbed her by the waist and threw her under again. They fought in the water playfully for awhile before they were called out to listen to the legends. 

“This isn’t over,” Meadow said. Paul smirked and threw an arm around her shoulders.

“Whatever you say, flower.”


	23. Chapter 23

Spring break rolled around fairly quickly and Meadow couldn’t help but be relieved. Spring break meant she wouldn’t have to worry about schoolwork for an entire week. It also meant she’d be able to sleep more. Hopefully. Who knew what went through Sam’s head when he assigned patrols. She felt like her entire body was made of lead every day. The only thing keeping her going was the adrenaline that pumped through her body every time she patrolled and the gallons of coffee she drank every day. 

She missed the days she only had to worry about school, work, and Jake. It was so much easier back then. She could stay in her room for hours on end. She could keep her emotions inside and choose when she wanted to talk and when she didn’t. She could sleep throughout an entire night without waking up once. She could do so many things that she couldn’t do now.

Now, she had to be outside for hours on end, she had to use her words to communicate with others, she had to let her emotions out, she had to stay up and couldn’t sleep for more than three hours straight. Hell, she had to quit her job in order to keep up with her patrol schedule.

She was so out of her element, and yet it gave her a sense of satisfaction. She’d never had a goal in mind for her future. She was just going to pass school and stay on the reservation to take care of her dad until he died. But she had a plan now. A dream. A goal. And she was going to achieve it. But first.....

Meadow sighed as she watched Jake leave the house to hang out with Bella. She was left alone in the house with her dad, who she hadn’t properly spoken to since she shifted. Unconsciously, she messed with her fingers and thought of a way to approach her dad. She bit the inside of her lip hard and yelped at the pain that spread throughout her mouth.

Don’t overcomplicate it, she told herself. She stood from her seat and walked into the living room. Her dad was watching TV when she entered and he looked at her when he caught sight of her. Awkwardly, she sat down on the couch across from him and sat so that she was curled against the fabric. She cleared her throat and asked, “Can we talk?”

She winced as it came out hoarsely and unsurely and ducked her head. The TV turned off and enveloped the room in silence. She picked up her head and made eye contact with her dad. He was giving her all of his attention, which was a first for her. It kind of made her uncomfortable. She took a deep breath in before she started the conversation she had been putting off.

“I wanted to, um, talk about - well, I,” she stumbled over her words and blushed in embarrassment. She didn’t know how to start the conversation; she didn’t know how to tell him how she felt.

“Take your time, Meadow,” he encouraged her. She stopped talking and nodded her head.

“I wanted to talk about - I just feel like - I’m sorry,” she said, chickening out. She lowered her head so that her hair shadowed her face. Why is this so hard, she wondered. It was quiet until she heard a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, too, Meadow,” Billy apologized. She looked up in surprise and stared at him with wide eyes. She couldn’t believe he was actually apologizing. Her dad was a prideful man, like most fathers, so she’d never heard him apologize before. She gave him a confused look. He registered it and continued. 

“I haven’t been completely fair to you,” he confessed. “After your mom died and your sisters left, I relied on you to make sure Jake was taken care of.”

“Why?” she asked. “Why did you let me take that role on? I’m barely older than him.”

“I was hit hard by your mother’s death. And when your sisters left, I - I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he explained.

“We were all hit by mom’s death,” Meadow said. She was annoyed. All of them were affected by Sarah Black’s death. And all of them dealt with it in their own way. Rachel and Rebecca fled town, Billy wallowed in his own pity, and Jake put on a continuous smile. And Meadow? She shut down even more and gained a fiercer sense to protect her family. That was why she couldn’t completely hate her dad or leave him to live by himself.

“I know,” Billy said. He made sure to keep eye contact with her so she would understand that he did, in fact, know. 

“I saw the way you curled in on yourself every time someone asked how you were doing or what you were doing. I saw the way you frowned more and more every day. I saw you become a shell of your former self and for that I am sorry,” he said sincerely. “I wasn’t the parent you or Jake needed. I put you in a role you weren’t ready for.”

“All you’re doing is apologizing!” Meadow raised her voice. “You’re telling me things I already know! I don’t want just your apologies!”

She was shaking but she didn’t know if it was from anger or if it was just her nerves. 

“Just remember to listen and don’t hold back.”

Paul’s words rang through her head. She latched onto them and quickly tried to gain control over herself. When she was calm again, she said, “I’m sorry. It’s just that I feel like all my life, I’ve had to put myself and my feelings second. Every action I did and every word I spoke was influenced by how they would affect you and Jake. ‘How much time would this take away from Jake? Could I do this and still take care of them? What if I get in trouble and it reflects badly on dad? How much of my money will be left for Jake and dad if I get a new book?

  
All those questions and not one of them ever was about me or how it would affect me. I never considered if something would make me feel better if I did it or if something would make me feel better if I bought it. I got so used to everyone else putting me last that I started doing the same thing. You say you saw me wither away, but you never did anything about it. You watched me wilt and you didn’t care. You didn’t care!”

Tears flowed out of her closed eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself. She just wanted him to care about her. A squeaky wheel registered through her ears and she felt a presence in front of her. Suddenly, she was being held by two arms. She stiffened and opened her eyes. When she realized what her dad was doing, she threw her arms around him and held him tight. 

“I never wanted us to end up like this,” Billy said in a wavering voice. “I’ve never been a good parent like Sarah was. She was the one who understood what it was to be one. I should’ve been the one-”

“Stop,” Meadow whispered. “Don’t.”

“I thought you could handle it,” he said. “I thought you could take care of Jake until I got better. You and Jake have such a close bond and I thought it would be better for the both of you if you relied on each other. I should’ve known better.”

Meadow pulled back from the hug. She saw tears linger in her dad’s brown eyes and the sorrowful expression on his face. She’d only seen that kind of look when her mom died. 

“It hasn’t been all bad,” she said, trying to make him feel better. “It was pretty fun hanging out with Jake.”

“Don’t try to make me feel better,” Billy scolded her lightly. 

“I’m not,” she lied. 

“Really,” she continued, “you’ve given me advice, on purpose or not, and you’ve been someone I could share things with every now and then, like when I first got my job or when I made the honor roll.”

“My little Meadow,” he said. He placed a hand on her head and pulled her so that he was holding her again. “I’m so proud of you. I haven’t given you sunlight or water, yet you still found a way to bloom by yourself.”

“What do you mean?” she asked quietly. “I haven’t bloomed.”

“On the contrary, you’ve matured into a fine young lady,” Billy said with a smile.

“I’ve still got flaws,” she protested.

He hummed and said, “Every rose has its thorn.”

“I’m sorry,” Meadow said. “For yelling at you before and for yelling at you today.”

“I wouldn’t have you any other way, my little Meadow. It’s better you showed the world your colors.”

His words rang through her head. She had to show the world her colors. It was time for her to let her goals be known. No more waiting around for things to naturally happen. She pulled away from her dad again and opened her mouth before she hesitated. An uneasy expression overtook her features as she second guessed her actions.

“You can tell me,” her dad said. She wanted to. She really wanted to, but she couldn’t help but remember the time Paul had said the same thing to her. Things between her and her dad wouldn’t straighten out right away. She was sure their relationship would get better over time, but she couldn’t confide in him yet. 

“It’s nothing,” she said. “I’ll tell you when I figure it out.”

“Don’t be afraid to talk to me about anything. I’ll listen this time,” he said with a loving smile. She returned his with a smaller version. She’d keep it in mind.

* * *

She steeled her nerves and waited anxiously for Paul to show up. She would have told Jake first, but the way he had acted the other day made her rethink her decision. Paul had made it known since she had given him a chance that he would listen to what she had to say. He was someone she could count on to take her feelings into consideration. She heard the leaves rustle behind her, alerting her to Paul’s arrival.

“There’s my flower,” he said. He hugged her from behind and swayed her side to side. She giggled at his antics and hugged him back when he released her. He plopped himself on the sand and patted the spot beside him. She sat next to him and grabbed his hand in hers. Paul was surprised she was making the first move but refrained from saying anything.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I talked to my dad today,” she told him.

“And?”

She smiled and said, “We made up.”

“I’m proud of you babe,” Paul said.

“Yeah. I don’t think our relationship will suddenly get better, but I’m hopeful for the future. He gave me some good advice, too.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it was better for me to show the world my colors.”

“So, like to speak up more?” Paul guessed.

“Yeah, and there’s one thing I wanted to speak up about. I wanted to tell you first, though,” she said shyly.

“I’m that important, huh?” he asked jokingly.

“Why do you always do that?” Meadow asked abruptly.

“Do what?” he asked.

“You always crack a joke when I’m trying to be serious,” she replied with a frown. He sighed and said, “I just want to make you more comfortable. You’re always so tense when you talk to me and the only way you open up is if you feel safe enough to do it.”

She felt giddy from his revelation. She had felt slightly annoyed every time he interrupted their serious conversations with something funny. She couldn’t help but feel silly for overreacting. 

“So thoughtful,” she mused.

“Yeah, well, don’t go telling the guys. You’ll ruin my reputation,” he grumbled.

“Your reputation is already ruined, you big softy,” she laughed out loud. Paul let her settle down before he asked her to continue where she left off before.

“Just listen, okay,” she pleaded.

“I always do.”

“.....I want to challenge Sam for the Alpha position.”

Paul blanked and remained quiet. Meadow’s heart beat in her chest as she waited for his reaction. Well, for more of a reaction. She hadn’t expected him to say nothing. He detached their fingers and stood up. She let out a small noise of surprise and leaned away from him. She mimicked his actions and watched his face morph from emotion to emotion.

“You want to challenge Sam for the Alpha position?” he asked. He sounded like he was in his own head and couldn’t believe what he heard.

“Is that so bad?” she questioned smally.

“Why?” he demanded.

“I just - I think I can make a change. I think I can make shifter’s lives better. It’s already hard with the lifestyle change and Sam’s way of running the pack doesn’t make it any better.” she confessed.

“You can’t,” Paul stated.

“W-what?”

“You can’t,” he repeated himself. “Sam’s been doing good so far with what he’s been given. He went into the position without any warning. What makes you think you could do better?” Paul ranted.

“Exactly!” she yelled. “He doesn’t understand the position!”

“And you do?”

“I’ve seen enough to know what could work and what doesn’t work.”

“It’s one thing to see and it’s another thing to do!” he yelled.

“I can do it!” Meadow yelled back. “Sam was so ready to give Jake the position, but I’m not allowed to take it?!”

“That’s different!”

“How?! I share the same DNA with Jake! The only difference is he’s a boy and I’m a girl!” she pointed out.

“There’s never been a female Alpha before! There’s never even been a female shifter before!” 

Both Paul and Meadow were shaking and baring their teeth at one another. Neither one of them was backing down. Paul turned and stalked away from her before he turned back around and walked up to her. 

“I want to support you, Meadow, but I can’t support this,” he said.

“You can’t or you won’t? You’re being a coward!” she yelled. “You’re just scared of what Sam will say!”

“I’m scared of what he’ll do to you if he finds out you’re planning to take his rank!” 

“He won’t find out if you don’t tell him,” she said. 

“What if it slips through my thoughts, huh?! You know I can’t keep something this big a secret!”

“Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?” Meadow asked in a nasty tone. “You told me Sam was the one to ‘save’ you from your home life. I know you, Paul. You think you owe him everything and then some. So, you’ll hide behind him and report back anything suspicious. Yeah, why don’t you be a good dog and roll over for him?”

Paul exploded and shifted in record time. He growled at her and took a step forward in warning. Meadow shifted, too, and growled back. They bared their teeth and waited for the other to make the first move. Paul moved first and pounced on her. They rolled into the forest and over the underbrush. Meadow ignored the sticks and the rocks that poked her and focused on throwing Paul off. She rolled away from him and stood in a defensive position. 

“Meadow?”

She turned away from Paul and caught sight of her brother and Bella walking towards her. Distracted, she didn’t notice that Paul was already on all fours. He charged her and rammed his head into her stomach. She yelped in pain and fell on her side. Paul stood over her and growled in her face. 

“Meadow!” Jake shouted before he pulled Bella away and shifted.

_What are you doing to her? _Jake asked as soon as he shifted. He rushed forward to help but Paul snarled at him.

_If you can’t beat me, what makes you think you can beat Sam?_ Paul asked furiously. _You’re going to get yourself killed!_

_I won’t know unless I try! _Meadow responded. With a grunt, Meadow flipped Paul off of her. She panted and stood her ground. Dread filled her when she felt the familiar feeling of someone joining the pack link.

_What is going on? _Sam demanded to know. 


	24. Chapter 24

_What is going on?_ Sam demanded to know. It was silent. No one wanted to speak. Sam glanced at Bella, who was standing in the distance with a frightened expression on her face. 

_Jake, you’re supposed to be watching over Bella. You can’t do that if you’re not paying attention to her whereabouts,_ Sam said sternly. 

_I know where she is, _Jake said. _I’m more worried about Meadow. Paul was attacking her for no reason._

_I wasn’t doing it for no reason! _Paul shouted. He was still wound up from the fight he had with Meadow. 

_I want answers. Now_, Sam ordered in his Alpha voice. Meadow pushed against the order and refused to answer to his command. However, Paul caved. He whined before he confessed.

_Meadow wants to challenge you to the Alpha position_, Paul told Sam. The pack link was quiet but she could register the surprise lingering through their minds. She dropped her head subconsciously and shied away from their gazes. They weren’t comforting stares. 

_Is that true MeMe? _Jake asked. She met his eyes and nodded her head. She heard Sam’s threatening growl and watched as he stalked up to her. He stared down at her and bared his teeth at her.

_You want to be alpha? _he asked. Disbelief and amusement laced his words. She flinched at the laugh that bubbled in his chest and left his wolf body as a chortle. She stared at him and tried to contain her feelings. She was upset at the lack of confidence they had in her. Jake wouldn’t meet her eyes and Paul was still upset with her. They didn’t believe in her. 

_Do you really think any of them would follow you? _Sam asked. _You think they’d be willing to follow someone like you?_

Meadow didn’t say anything. She continued to stare at him. Wetness developed behind her eyes but she refused to let it leak. She wouldn’t show weakness. If she wanted to be the alpha, she couldn’t show them any weakness. She had to be strong.

_Answer me! _Sam bellowed. Meadow’s head bowed under the immense pressure he bestowed upon her and she whined.

_I can do it, _she said. It came out quiet and uncertain. She was second-guessing herself now. 

_I can’t hear you, _Sam said mockingly. Meadow looked to Paul for help but he avoided her gaze. She was hurt; she felt like someone was gripping her heart and squeezing as hard as they could. 

_You can’t handle it, Meadow, _Sam said. _You aren’t fit for the job. You will never be the alpha of this pack. Do you understand? All you’re good for is following orders like you’ve been doing your entire life._

_You’re going too far, Sam, _Paul said. Sam growled at him and Paul immediately backed down.

_She needs to hear the truth, _Sam said sternly. _If you think you have what it takes, then challenge me._

_I am-_

_The official way,_ Sam said. _If you think you can take me on, then challenge me right now._

_I-_

_Don’t think you’ll have another chance like this, _Sam yelled. _You either do it now or never do it again._

Meadow thought about it and realized he was right. If she didn’t do it now, she’d never get another chance. Everyone in the pack would know she backed down and would think she was too weak to be Alpha. She couldn’t have that. With a deep breath, she pulled herself to full height and stared him in the eyes.

_I, Meadow Black, challenge you, Sam Uley, for the Alpha position_, she said. Her voice wasn’t as steady as she wanted it to be and it hinted to the nervousness she felt. 

_I accept. Jacob, get Bella out of here, _he ordered. Jake protested but his protests were shut down by Sam. He begrudgingly did as he was told. Bella questioned him the entire time but followed his lead.

As soon as Bella was out of the area, Sam lunged. Meadow was caught off guard and was tackled to the ground. She yelped as Sam sunk his teeth in her fur. She wiggled about until she was able to throw him off of her. She shook her fur out, wincing at the healing wound on her side. Sam lunged again. This time, she was able to dodge. She lept to the side and swiped her paw across his back. 

Sam growled and turned on her. He was unphased by her attack and went in for his own. His claws scratched deep into her skin and she howled in pain. She stumbled away from him, trying to get some space between them, but Sam kept up his advances. She took blow for blow until he finally pinned her to the ground and claimed his victory.

_I win, _Sam declared. He stepped off of her and allowed her to get up. Meadow shook her head ferociously in denial. Her body ached from the cuts that littered her body, but the loss she just experienced overrode the pain. She glanced at each person, allowing the hurt she felt to leak through her irises, before she darted off. She heard Paul call out to her, but she ignored him. She ran until she reached one of the stashes of clothes the pack hid in the forest. She phased into her human form and quickly changed. 

She was at a loss on what to do. She didn’t think Paul would react so negatively towards her goal. She thought he would support her and encourage her to pursue the alpha position, not turn on her. Without the support of the people closest to her, she wasn’t sure how to proceed. She had to admit that she wasn’t exactly ready for the position, but she knew she could be ready. 

She didn’t think she would lose. Sure, she wasn’t the strongest wolf in the pack, but that didn’t mean she was weak. She was strong, wasn’t she? She glanced down at her hands and contemplated what it really meant to be strong. Her thoughts drifted to her recent fight and her hands clenched into fists. 

Sam would never change his ways. He was too influenced by the elders and their way. The last pack was run by their grandfather’s, who were all dead. There were new circumstances, new people, a new generation. Even if history repeated itself, the old ways of doing things rarely ever were applicable to the present day. 

She clutched her hair and pulled hard. She let out a noise of frustration and punched a tree. A chunk of the bark came off and splinters were sent flying through the air. What was the difference between her and Jake? Why was Sam so ready to offer Jake the position but not her? 

Maybe it was because Jake was an easy person to manipulate. She’d been able to manipulate him into doing things he didn’t want to do, like eating his vegetables when he was younger or doing his homework. She used to be able to bribe him to get her things from the store when she didn’t feel like going or get her dad to let her stay home on the rare days she didn’t want to go to school. Other people could manipulate him, too.

Bella was able to manipulate him into liking her, Quil was able to manipulate him into trying out for the soccer team, Embry was able to manipulate him into spending his allowance on snacks, and many others got him to do things he wouldn’t normally do. Meadow was a wild card simply because she didn’t let her emotions show as easily. She was harder to read. She was secretive. She was the exact opposite of an easily influenced person. 

Yet, there she was; she was letting others’ opinions dictate what she did and how she felt. She slid against the bark of a tree and sat on the ground. She looked up at the sky and felt a water droplet hit her face. She wiped it away in a futile attempt. Rain poured down on her and muddied the ground she sat on. After about ten minutes, she sighed and stood up. She was hungry and tired of being in wet clothes. She bitterly trudged to Emily’s house. Thankfully, Emily was the only person in the house. Meadow pulled out a chair and slumped in the seat.

Emily glanced at her knowingly. She stirred something in a pot, turned the heat down low, and set aside the big spoon she was using. She sat across the table from Meadow and grabbed her hands in hers. Startled, Meadow looked up and met kind, brown eyes.

“Sam told me what happened,” Emily said. “He stormed in here earlier and ranted to me uncharacteristically.”

Meadow remained quiet and waited for Emily to continue. She was ready for the woman to scold her and tell her that her dreams were too big, her goals too unattainable. She tried pulling her hands away, but Emily refused to let go.

“Why do you want to do it, Meadow?” Emily asked. Meadow stared at Emily for a minute to process her words. Emily wasn’t laughing at her or yelling at her. It was a completely different response than what she was given earlier.

“It’s unfair,” Meadow responded.

“What’s unfair?”

“How the pack is run.”

“And how is that?”

“....I feel like Sam abuses his power. He thinks everyone should just listen to what he says and not question anything. He’s like a dictator.”

“Shouldn’t there be a leader, though?”

“Well, yeah, but not that kind of leader. Sam should consider everyone’s opinion. A leader isn’t someone who scares their followers. A leader is someone who uplifts their followers and makes sure their followers are adept in what they are doing. Just about everything I’ve learned that has to do with the pack has been from experience. Sam threw me into this without any answers or instructions or guidance.

A leader isn’t some superior being. Sam is a shifter just like me, Jake, Embry, Paul, and Jared. He might have more experience, but he was only alone for a few weeks before Jared and Paul shifted. He’s as new to this as all of us are, et he thinks he knows better. He only knows what the elders tell him. He only _follows _what the elders tell him. He isn’t his own person and he most definitely isn’t Alpha material.”

Meadow took a deep breath after her rant and a slight blush overtook her face. She hadn’t meant to insult Sam in front of his imprint. She didn’t think it was fair to Emily. She hung her head in shame and snatched her hands out of Emily’s. A small laugh came from Emily’s mouth, causing Meadow to shoot her head up.

“Don’t feel bad,” Emily said. “I know how Sam is.”

“.....Am I wrong for wanting to be Alpha?” Meadow asked. “Am I being selfish?”

_Am I being selfish by wanting to be Alpha, _she asked herself. _Do I just want to be Alpha just to find some kind of purpose in life?_

“I don’t think so,” Emily reassured her.

Meadow’s brows furrowed before she said, “You don’t think I’m ruining something that’s already perfect?”

“If it was perfect there wouldn’t be anyone opposing it, would there?”

“....I guess not,” Meadow muttered.

“I’ll tell you what I think. I think you want to change the pack for the better. I’ve seen the way you react to certain things. You want what’s best for the pack and for everyone in it.”

“So, you think I can do it?” Meadow asked in a small voice. 

“As his fiancee, I want to be in Sam’s corner at all times. I want to back him up and support his decisions, but I don’t think I can this time,” Emily confessed with a smile. Meadow smiled back as a rush of giddiness flowed throughout her body. Having one person behind her was enough. She took a blow, but the next time she challenged him, she would win. She’d make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe everyone!


	25. Chapter 25

Meadow walked into her house and was greeted by the sight of her brother sitting next to their dad. She froze as she read the room. She had interrupted something, and she had a sneaky suspicion that they had been talking about her - about her wanting to take the Alpha position. She stared at Jake hard until he stood up. He stopped next to her and opened his mouth to say something. However, he decided against it and left the house without saying a word. When she heard the door shut, she moved to take his spot on the couch. She turned towards her dad and asked him a question.

“How do I get stronger?” she asked. He stared at her far longer than she wanted him to and she huffed in response. She was growing impatient. She knew he would fully support Jake with no questions asked if he wanted to take up the position. It was a big problem on the reservation - the misogyny. Everything on the res was run by men. Women weren’t even allowed on the council.

“Jake told me what happened,” Billy finally said. 

“I’m sure he did,” she said tightly. “How do I get stronger?”

“Sam is a fine man. He’s been doing this pretty well for someone thrown into it by himself.”

“I don’t care. Answer my question, please,” she said through gritted teeth.

“You’re set on doing this, aren’t you? Why?”

“You’re against me doing this, but if I was Jake you wouldn’t be. Why?” she shot back. He sighed and took a moment to think. She watched emotions flit across his face and took the opportunity to ask once more.

“How do I get stronger?” she asked for the last time.

“......The strength of your wolf is tied to the strength of your person. This goes for mentally and physically. The stronger you are, the stronger your wolf is,” he answered after some hesitation. Meadow nodded. She knew what she had to do. She stood up but was stopped by her dad.

“If you are serious about this, then you need to keep what I told you a secret,” he said.

“Sam doesn’t know?” she asked incredulously.

“No. He doesn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Only the Alpha line is supposed to know. It’s a way to keep us as the successors of the gene.”

She screwed her face up and said, “Why not tell the entire pack? Everyone would become stronger and would be in less danger.”

“It is just how we’ve done things.”

She shook her head in disgust and disappointment before she asked him to clarify something.

“How am I supposed to keep it a secret? They can hear my thoughts and I can hear theirs.”

“You can train yourself to block your thoughts. Since you’re already a closed-off person, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to accomplish.”

“How?”

“That is for you to figure out. I don’t have all the answers. You will have to figure it out on your own."

* * *

Meadow shifted for her turn with patrol. Thankfully, she was on patrol with Jake. Unfortunately, she was also on patrol with Jared. No doubt Sam had already informed him of what had happened. It was only natural. She kept her mind blank and mindlessly went through the motions. 

_You really shouldn’t have done that,_ Jared said in an irritating tone. _You just made it worse for yourself_.

_Lay off her_, Jake said.

_You gonna defend her now?_ Jared asked incredulously. 

_Whether I defend her or not isn’t the point. Stop ragging on my sister_, Jake said. Annoyance clouded his tone.

_She challenged our Alpha. You really think-_

Meadow felt a shimmer, an indicator of someone phasing, and heard Paul join them. She felt two more shimmers before someone howled. An image of Sam running after the redhead appeared in their minds and they immediately scrambled to help him. Even if Meadow was upset about her loss, she wouldn’t put it above her duties as a protector.

She ran to his aid with Jacob and Jared on her tail. Jared passed her up and Jake was running beside her in no time. She glanced at him and noticed the hunters in the background. 

_Mind the hunter_s, she warned. She spotted Harry Clearwater among them and silently cursed. If anything happened to him, a lot of people were going to be upset. 

_Focus MeMe_, Jake said quietly. She thanked him for bringing her back to the present and focused on running. They caught up to the rest of them in time to see the redhead evade Sam’s attack. He cursed and barked at them to get in formation.

_Jared, Paul, up front with me. Embry, Jake, take up the right and left flanks. Meadow, take up the rear_, he instructed. They did as they were told and Meadow started watching their surroundings. That was what she was good for. 

_On your right, Paul_, she warned him. The redhead was running through the trees to Paul’s left, all the while smirking at them. Sam veered to the right and led that pack in her direction. Jared made a move at her and missed her when she used the trees to her advantage. She bounced off the bark and twirled in the air. Suddenly, the redhead stiffened. She drastically changed direction and fled from the scene. 

_Where is she going?_ Embry asked irritably. Meadow sniffed the air and realized why she changed directions.

_I smell Bella. She must be in the area,_ she informed them.

What?! Jake exclaimed. He went to leave formation but was yelled at by Sam.

_Don’t break formation,_ he ordered. _We’ll just have to beat her there._

They hurried to intercept her path. Jake got in her path and blocked her from moving forward. She smirked and ran in another direction and led them to an area populated with hunters. One of them was Harry Clearwater. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and tossed him against a tree. Meadow’s scream echoed the boys’ screams. She rushed forward and wrapped her body around him to protect him from any future attacks. 

_Jake, Embry, find Bella!_ Sam shouted. _Meadow, stay with Harry and get him help! Make sure no one sees you. Paul, Jared, with me. We end this now._

Meadow checked her surroundings before she deemed it safe enough to phase. She threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts before she tried picking Harry up. He groaned in pain and she stopped moving. She bit her lip and tried to decide what to do. He decided for her.

"Leave me," he wheezed out. 

"I can't do that," she said unsteadily. "I can't leave you here to die."

"I won't make it," he breathed out. "I'm bleeding too much."

She knew he was; she could smell the intense amount of blood seeping from his body, but she didn't want to face reality. 

"What about Leah, Seth, Sue, everyone who counts on you?" she asked. 

"Tell Leah to let go of her pain and finally be free. Tell Seth that I-" he coughed out blood before he continued, "that I trust him to watch over the household. And tell Sue that I love her. Tell them all that."

He started gurgling, so Meadow gently turned his body on the side and watched blood flow out of his mouth. She bit her lip at the almost inaudible gasped of pain Harty gave. Tears welled in her eyes and she desperately glanced around to find someone to help. She spotted a man with a gun cautiously walking to her left and called out to him. 

"Help! Please help!" she yelled. She caught the man's attention and he ran over to help. After his features came into view, she realized it was Charlie.

"What happened?" Charlie asked frantically.

"I- I don't know," she lied guiltily. "I was walking to the beach when I found him."

"Harry! Harry, can you hear me?" Charlie asked. Harry didn't respond, causing Charlie to panic.

"I'm gonna call this in and get more help. Stay here," he ordered her. She sat beside him and stayed until help arrived. She rode in the truck with him and stayed with him in his room at the small clinic on the reservation. When Leah, Seth, and Sue arrived she excused herself. She could hear them crying and wanted to get away from it. 

She was startled by Leah rushing out of the room and Seth hot on her heels. The two of them were shaking vigorously, and Meadow realized what they were about to do. She followed them outside and got through the door in time to see them phase. Meadow shifted in an instant to talk to them. She knew how confusing shifting for the first time was and didn't trust the others or Sam, for that matter, to wean them into it.

_What's going on?!_ Seth yelled. _Where are my feet?! _

His wolf was jumping around and yipping. Leah was doing the same except her wolf wasn't yipping. It was barking at Seth to be quiet.

_Seth stop screaming!_ she yelled. _Just- we have to-._

_Everything is okay_, Meadow said calmly. Both wolf heads swiveled in her direction and stared at her with apprehension. 

_Who are you?_ Seth asked tentatively. _Are you the wolf staring at us?_

_Yes,_ she answered. _I'm Meadow Black._

_Billy's daughter?_ Leah asked cautiously. 

_Yeah._

_What's going on?_ Leah asked with intensity. _Why are we....like this? And why can we hear you?_

_You shifted like the legends say, Meadow answered plainly. We are warriors - protectors._

_That's all you're gonna give us?_ Leah hissed out.

_I'll explain more when you phase back. It's better if we don't attract attention._

_Fine. How do we go back to being humans?_ Leah asked.

_Imagine your human self. Imagine how tall you are, the color of your hair, your eyes, your feet. Think of your reflection when you look in the mirror_, Meadow coaxed. Slowly but surely, Seth and Leah phased back. Both of them were naked and tried to cover themselves from view. Meadow trotted off and grabbed some clothes with her mouth. She nudged them whe on she got back and waited for them to take the clothes before she phased.

"What was that? Why did I hear Sam's voice in my head?!" Leah asked incredulously. Meadow opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by Sam.

"I'll handle this," Sam said as he eyed Meadow. They stared each other down, making the two newly shifted wolves restless and uneasy. 

"How's the Bella situation?" Meadow asked. 

"She's with Jacob," he replied tersely.

"And Victoria?"

Sam gritted his teeth before he responded with, "She got away."

Meadow sharply turned her head and stopped their eye contact. Apparently, there were bigger things to worry about. She looked at Seth and Leah and said, "If you're unsure of anything come find me."


	26. Chapter 26

Meadow was in the backyard working out with some weights she found in the garage. She had a routine made up to help her strength, speed, and mental strength improve. In the morning, or during any free time she had available during the day, she worked on her speed and strength. At night, she meditated and worked on her mental strength. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically, but she couldn’t stop. She had to get stronger.

It’s been a week since Harry died and Leah and Seth phased. Surprisingly, Seth wasn’t mad about phasing; in fact, he was over the moon. He was like a hyper puppy running around the woods. Meadow was worried about him, though. He was only a Freshman and he was the youngest to phase. Leah worried her, too. Leah found out about Sam imprinting on Emily fairly quickly and has been more temperamental than usual. She storms around the woods and makes snarky comments about everything. But Meadow saw the pain in her eyes. She was hurting.

Meadow finished her fiftieth rep when she felt two presences behind her. She threw the weight softly on the ground and turned to greet her visitors. Seth stood beside Leah with a nervous look on his face while Leah stood there with an angry look on her face. Meadow walked towards them and stopped a few meters away from them.

“You said if we had any questions to come to you,” Leah said with an attitude. “I have questions.”

Meadow raised an eyebrow and looked at Seth. He panicked slightly before he said, “I-I’m just here with Leah.”

“Just here for Leah?” Meadow repeated. 

“Well......I’m confused about some things, too. It’s just, well....”

“You don’t want Sam or Jared to get mad at you. You found out what happened, then?”

“I don’t think you’re as bad as they say you are,” Seth said quickly. “The few times you came over to our house, you didn’t seem too bad.”

“Enough small talk,” Leah said. “I need answers.”

Meadow waved her hand for the two siblings to follow her over to a few tree stumps. She sat on one and gestured for them to sit one of the other ones. When they were situated, Leah wasted no time to talk.

“Why did I phase? All the boys act like I shouldn’t have,” she asked.

“It’s unusual for girls to phase, apparently,” Meadow answered. “I’m guessing it’s because you’re tied to the three original bloodlines of the pack.” 

“The patrols. I don’t understand them. Explain them to me.”

“We patrol the reservation to intercept any enemies. We used to patrol Forks, too, but since the Cullens came back, we have to stick to our territory only.”

“The treaty?” Seth spoke up.

“Yes. While the Cullens reside in Forks, we stick to our land and they stick to theirs. The river is the boundary between the two,” Meadow clarified.

“I don’t understand the route,” Leah said.

“I can’t remember it either,” Seth confessed.

“I couldn’t either,” Meadow admitted to make them feel better. “The more you do it, the more you’ll remember them.”

“He’s changed our route every single time we’ve gone on patrol,” Leah spit out in hatred.

“I can run an idea by Sam, but I doubt he’ll go for it,” Meadow said after she bit her lip. She could run the idea of shadowing by Sam, but she knew he would argue with her. He was anti-Meadow, so any idea she had he would surely shut down. 

“What does it do to me? I mean, what about my future? Will I be able to have kids?” Leah asked a bit quieter. Meadow’s face softened and she sighed. It was something she, herself, was worried about. She hadn’t had her period since she phased for the first time. She wasn’t too sure, but she figured she still could have kids. Why would their ancestors pair her up with Paul otherwise?

“I think you still can,” she told her. “We won’t have to phase forever. One day, we’ll stop phasing. Our first priority as shifters is to protect the people. Until that happens, we won’t be able to have kids is my guess.”

Leah sighed loudly and said, “So, I might be able to.....one day?”

“I’m sure of it. Why else would Paul imprint on me and I on him?”

A sneer appeared on Leah’s face and her eyes held nothing but contempt.

“How is it being imprinted to that idiot?” she asked.

“More trouble than I thought,” Meadow confessed. She didn’t know why she was indulging Leah with her feelings, but, for some reason, it felt right. She felt like she could tell Leah anything. Maybe she was missing a female’s presence. She’d been surrounded by no one except boys ever since her older sisters left.

“And I thought imprinting was some great magical source of love,” Leah said snarkily.

“It’s not all bad. Paul and I are just....disagreeing,” Meadow said softly. Leah stared at her then looked away. 

“Um, Meadow?” Seth spoke up.

“Yes, Seth?” she addressed him. 

“Do you think Sam will let me go back to school? It’s been a week already and mom’s getting kinda upset,” he said.

“As long as you have your temper under control then I don’t see why he wouldn’t let you go back,” she said. 

“Sam says I have the best control!” he said proudly. Meadow smiled and ruffled his head. 

“You’ve never been an angry person,” she commented. Seth smiled back at her and then stilled. He listened for a second before he said, “Someone’s coming.”

Meadow looked at him quizzically and listened for footsteps. She had to wait another minute before she heard someone coming their way. She stared at Seth in contemplation before she got up from her seat and faced the newcomer.

Paul stepped through the treeline and looked at Meadow. His eyes were filled with an emotion she couldn’t identify. He looked at Leah, at Seth, and then at Meadow again. Getting the hint, Leah rolled her eyes and pulled Seth up by his arm. When he made a noise of protest, Leah smacked on the back of his head and told him to stop whining.

When they were gone, Paul stepped closer to Meadow. He reached out for her but she took a step back. He looked at her with hurt-filled eyes. It physically pained her to see him staring at her that way, but she was still upset with him. 

“Meadow, please,” he pleaded. His hand was stretched out towards her and his face was begging for her to accept his offer. But she couldn’t. She turned her back to him and started walking to her house. She had a few hours before she had to go on patrol. She needed to get some sleep and meditate before then. 

“Meadow, stop!” he shouted. He rushed towards her and pulled on her arm. He pulled her into a hug and tried to keep her situated within his arms, but Meadow wasn’t having it. A growl slipped through her lips as she shoved against him and pushed him away. He frowned at the amount of strength she showed and at the rejection.

“I told you not to pull on me like that,” she said with a glare.

“Well, how else am I supposed to get you to stop?” he asked heatedly.

“You’re not,” she said, enunciating each word. She turned her back to him once again.

“You can’t run away from this, Meadow!” he shouted. “You feel it, too. I know you do! It hurts to stay away from each other for this long!” he shouted.

“Nothing hurts more than your lack of support,” she bit out.

“It’s been a week! How long are you going to keep this up?” he asked dejectedly.

“As long as it takes,” she muttered.

“So, you’re just gonna walk away?” he asked seriously. “I’m sorry if my opinion was different than yours.”

“That’s not the point!” she yelled angrily as she turned around to face him. She was upset he couldn’t see what the problem was. He should already know what he did to wrong her.

“Then what is?!”

“You don’t believe in me!” she shouted. Tears of frustration fell down her face and she angrily wiped them away. “You told me I couldn’t do it because I’m a girl, and a girl can’t have a position of power, right?”

“That’s not-” he started but stopped when he couldn’t find the words to say. “Meadow....”

“How can I be with someone who doesn’t believe in me?” she asked. “I have dreams, Paul. Goals. I can’t live like this for the rest of my life, cause let’s face it - I won’t be leaving La Push any time soon.”

“We can work this out! Meadow, please! I love you!” he yelled desperately. She paused as she heard those words leave his mouth. She stared at him wide-eyed. 

“I love you,” he said firmly. “So, don’t turn your back on me.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered. A smile broke across his face and he took a step in her direction. Her next words stopped him in his tracks.

“I love you, too, but I won’t lose myself to please you when I’ve just found myself.”

She slammed the door behind her and stomped to her room. She slammed her bedroom door shut and laid on her bed with a huff. She covered her eyes with her hands and groaned. She didn’t know if she was being too hard on him or not, but she wouldn’t give in to him so easily.

* * *

Sam called a meeting half-way through her patrol. Everyone in the pack was squeezed in Emily’s kitchen. A plate of chocolate chip cookies sat half-empty in the middle of the table. Meadow was situated in the middle of Jake and Embry and across from Leah and Seth. Paul and Jared were standing in a corner behind Meadow, and Sam was standing in the doorway. When he had everyone’s attention, he started the meeting.

“As you all know, the Cullens are back, which means more people might shift,” he said.

“Quil’s next. I know he is,” Embry said. “He’s showing all the symptoms.”

“Alright,” Sam said. “You and Jake have class with him, right? I’ll let you two have a week off patrol to monitor him.”

“The others are too young to phase,” Jared said. Meadow shook her head. Sam noticed the movement and gave her a pointed look. She glared at him defiantly but let it go. Now was not the time to argue with him. However, other people had other plans.

“What?” Leah said. She was looking directly at Meadow. “What were you going to say?”

Meadow hesitated for a second before she said, “The Cullens might bring some of their ‘friends’. We already have the red-head running around; who knows what other vampires are prowling the area.”

“So, what?” Jared sniped.

“Younger people might start to phase. Seth already phased and he’s only fourteen. Who’s to say the others won’t?” she said.

“We’ll be ready for it when it happens,” Sam said dismissively. 

“We need to be ready now,” she stressed. “We don’t know when they will.”

“We don’t know **IF** they will,” Sam argued.

Meadow scoffed and said, “They will. It’s only a matter of time, but we can’t have middle schoolers giving up their lives for this pack.”

“They will do their duty when it is time,” Sam said through clenched teeth. “Just like you will.”

“I refuse to let kids sacrifice their lives!’ Meadow shouted. “And I think Seth should be given more leniency. He’s still too young to be throwing away his future!”

“It’s a good thing you’re not Alpha then,” Sam commented with authority. 

“We need to at least look out for any new visitors,” Meadow said. “The red-head is dangerous, but if we only focus on her, another will slip through.”

“The red-head is the main target. If we spread ourselves too thin, she’ll slip through,” Sam said.

“We don’t have to,” Meadow said simply. “I’ve noticed a few enhancements some of the pack members have. If we-”

“Woah, woah, woah. Enhancements?” Jared asked dubiously. “Now you’re just making stuff up. Is this all part of your plan to overthrow Sam?”

Meadow sighed harshly and said, “Not enhancements, per se, but increased senses. If we use them to our advantage, if we plan patrols and formations around them, then we’ll be more efficient.”

“And you know this how?” Sam asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“I’ve been observing the pack to see if we could change-”

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Sam growled. “That isn’t your job.”

Leah scoffed and said, “You’re such a child.”

“And you aren’t?” Jared asked. “You sulk around here like a child and try to make everyone’s lives miserable.”

“At least I don’t follow Sam around like a lost puppy,” Leah bit back. She started shaking and there was only rage in her eyes. Meadow tried to catch Leah’s eyes and she succeeded after a moment. She subtly shook her head and Leah deflated.

“Whatever,” Leah muttered.

“And I’m the puppy,” Jared whispered amusedly. Meadow narrowed her eyes at Jared. 

“We’re getting nowhere,” Sam said frustratedly. “Paul, Leah, Jared, go on patrol. Seth, Meadow, Jake, you’re on the second shift. Paul, Embry, and I are on the third. Dismissed.”

As soon as he dismissed them, Paul, Leah, and Jared went on patrol. Everyone else left the room except Meadow and Sam.

“I wanted to ask if-” Meadow started but was cut-off by Sam. She was getting irritated by everyone cutting her off. It was like they wanted to silence her. 

“You’ve done enough,” Sam said before he walked off. Meadow watched him walk off before she left the house. Surprisingly, Seth, Embry, and Jake were waiting for her. She walked up to them and Jake took the cue to start talking.

“We were talking and we just wanted you to know that you have our support,” he said. She gazed at each of them in astonishment and was at a loss for words. She didn’t know what to say, causing her to look like a gaping fish. Jake chuckled and pulled her in for a hug.

“We weren’t sure at first and I was a little scared, too,” Embry admitted sheepishly, “but, well, we haven’t known you to do anything irrational.”

“Yeah, and well, Leah seems to like you and Jake does, too, so,” Seth said trailing off. Meadow smiled and pulled Jake into a tighter hug. She didn’t know where they stood in her battle against Sam, but she was thankful they were on her side. 

She pulled away from him and said, “Thank you. I need you to keep listening to Sam, though.”

“What?!” they exclaimed.

“He’s still Alpha. Question him. Think about what he asks of you, but keep listening. I don’t want the pack to become divided over this; although, it may be too late for that,” she said sadly.

“Alright,” Jake said. “We’ll keep listening to him for now. Just hurry up and become Alpha. I don’t think I can stand to hear him insult you anymore.”

“It won’t be easy,” she confessed. “I’m not as strong as Sam is and there are a few who still don’t think I should be Alpha.”

“You mean Jared?” Embry snorted.

“Paul, too,” she said. 

“Nah, Paul isn’t on his side,” Jake said. She looked at him in confusion.

“Paul’s a big baby,” Embry snorted.

“He should just man-up already,” Jake said.

“His thoughts are confused,” Seth piped up.

“You, too, Seth?” she asked. He shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

“The guy’s just scared to go against Sam and Jared. Him and Jared are best friends. He doesn’t want to lose him as a friend,” Jake explained. 

“Why didn’t he say that to me earlier then?” she questioned herself. Of course, the boys picked up on it and answered her.

“He’s a chicken,” Embry said.

“He won’t admit it. Paul never admits his problems,” Jake said. She thought over their answers, which just made her more confused. Honestly, she guessed they were right. Paul tended to skim over his problems. He was closed off, in a way. She guessed they were more alike than they thought.

“Just make sure you get him on board,” Jake said.

“I know,” she said. “I need everyone on board to do this.”

“Good. Well, we’re about to head to the diner to eat something. Wanna come?” he asked.

“I need to do something first,” she said. Jake shrugged before he walked off. Seth followed him but Embry stayed behind. He stared at her intensely and she stared back. She didn’t know what was going through his mind due to how cloudy his eyes were with emotion. Every emotion clashed with the next one.

“I want to talk to you. About....us,” he said. Meadow’s eyes closed on their own accord and her heart raced faster than before. She was nervous about what he was going to say. She didn’t want them to feel awkward anymore. She wanted them to be like how they were before, like siblings.

“Embry,” she said softly and pleadingly.

“I know what you’re going to say,” he rushed out. “I know what you’re going to say, but it’s not.....that.”

“Is....something wrong?” she asked worriedly.

“No, no. I just wanted to let you know that,” he stopped and sighed, “that I’m done pining after you.”

When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “I’ve seen the way you are with Paul. You’ve never smiled like that with me before. I think, I think it’s time I....stop.”

“Embry, I-”

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “And it’ll take time to get over it completely, but I just wanted to let you know. I just...want us to not be so awkward around each other anymore.”

She smiled softly at him and said, “I’m sorry if I ever led you on.”

“You didn’t,” he assured her quickly. “It’s like how Jake is with Bella; I tried pursuing you even though you didn’t like me.”

“Jake’s hopeless,” Meadow said. “You’re not.”

Embry smiled and looked down, shaking his head in the process. He pointed in the direction Jake and Seth went and said, “I’m gonna go now. I’ll see you later?”

She nodded her head and waved him away with her hand. She was glad he had a change of heart. She hated the tension between them. She hoped he imprinted soon. Imprinting didn’t solve everything, but it would definitely take away his affection for her. Maybe then he wouldn’t hurt so much. 

“One more thing!” he shouted from a distance. She looked his way and saw him through the trees. “Give Paul a chance! I can tell it’s hurting you to fight with him!”

She gave him a thumbs up and watched him walk away before she went on her own way. She made a stop at her house, where she picked up the phone and dialed a number she hadn’t used in a while. It rang three times before it was picked up by a familiar voice.

_“Hello?”_

“Hey, Quil. It’s Meadow.”

_“......What’s up?”_

“Can you take a drive with me?”

_“Where?”_

“Just to Port Angeles. I need to pick up a couple things I can’t find on the res or in Forks.”

_“...Sure. When did you wanna go?”_

“How about right after school tomorrow?”

_“Are you gonna be at school tomorrow?”_

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Just meet me in the parking lot.”

_“Okay!”_


	27. Chapter 27

After school the next day, Meadow stood in the parking lot with a frustrated face. Her homeroom teacher had pulled her out of the last ten minutes of her last class to talk to her. Apparently, he was worried about her future. She was graduating this year, and while she should have graduated with a 3.8 grade point average, she was now going to graduate with a 3.3. Thankfully, she had cushioned herself in her first three years of high school, but it looked like she was going to barely pass her classes this year.

She was still happy about her final grade point average, but her teacher thought she was doing a disservice to herself by "not trying." If only he knew what she had going on outside of school. If only he knew that she had to run around the reservation at odd hours during the day and night to protect everyone. If only he knew she had to deal with a prideful and stubborn Alpha, who only wanted her to follow him around and do his bidding like some kind of incompetent being. If only he knew she was so mentally and physically exhausted that if she wasn't a shifter, she'd have keeled over.

She felt herself vibrate and a bead of sweat dripped down her face. She closed her eyes and focused on steadying her breath. She couldn't lose control now, lest she'll expose herself and the pack. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Quil standing in front of her with a nervous expression. She sighed and gave him a small smile.

"I was thinking we could go to Seattle. Port Angeles doesn't have many options and since it's Friday..... Is that okay?" she asked him. He nodded his head and climbed into the passenger seat. Meadow felt eyes on her and looked back to see Seth, Jacob, and Embry staring at her. She shook her head and set her mouth into a grim line. She forgot they were on Quil watching duty. Still, the conversation they had yesterday made her feel better about her decision. They wouldn't rat on her.

She hopped in the car and turned the engine on. The entire drive to Seattle, she forced herself to strike up conversations with Quil. It was awkward between the two and she was desperately trying to mend their relationship. After a three and half hour drive, she pulled into a furniture store and cut off the engine.

"What are we doing here?" Quil asked.

"Emily wanted to get some furniture for her backyard," Meadow answered.

"Emily?" Quil asked as he followed her through the double sliding doors.

"Sam's fiancee."

Meadow located the outdoor furniture section and walked in that direction. She looked back to make sure Quil was still behind her and caught his gaze. A wooden bench caught her eye and she walked up to it. She grabbed the price tag and winced. She thought about it and realized they would need to find a cheaper store. Emily would like something more rustic anyway. She wasn't one to revel in shiny, new things. Meadow let go of the tag and faced Quil.

"Too expensive. We'll have to find another store," she informed him. She started walking away but a hand on her arm stopped her. She turned her head and immediately noticed the troubled look on Quil's face. She sighed and sat down on the wooden bench. She patted the spot next to her and waited for him to sit before she said anything.

"You feel it, don't you," she said quietly. She made sure no one was around them before she continued by saying, "You can talk to me about it."

Quil leaned forward and covered his face with his hands.

"I just feel off," he said. "I feel so angry lately. Everything upsets me. I got into a fight with my grandpa the other day over dinner. Sometimes I shake from anger and other times I feel like my head is splitting open. What's happening, MeMe?"

He looked at her with such a helpless look that she took him in her arms. She rubbed the abundance of curls on his head and sighed as she tried to think of something to say. She shouldn't tell him; she should wait until he phases. But he was so close to phasing. He had a week, at best.

"I'm going to explain what's happening," she told him. "I'm going to tell you, but not yet. I'm nervous it'll trigger something. Can you wait until we drive back?"

He nodded his head and she took it as a sign to let him go. She grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a reassuring look before she stood up and gestured for him to follow her. They left the store and searched for another. They were gradually leaving the center of the city and moving towards the outskirts. They came upon a more worn down district that housed a small furniture store. It was nearing 7 p.m. and the store closed at 8, so they would have to hurry.

She parked the car in the empty lot behind the building and opened the door to get out. Her nose was immediately assaulted with a sickly sweet smell. She froze and her mind went into hyperdrive. She needed to get Quil out of there. She felt eyes on her and discreetly searched the area. In an alley between two run-down buildings was a girl with blonde hair and red eyes. South of that vampire's position was another two vampires. Unbeknownst to her, Quil had stepped out of the car and scrunched up his face.

"What is that smell?" he asked disgustedly. He covered his nose with his hand and his frame started shaking. Meadow's eyes widened and she glanced at him.

"Get back in the car, Quil," she said in a panicked voice.

"I thought we were gonna look at furniture," he said. "Now you're changing your mind?"

Hints of anger laced his voice. Meadow knew if she didn't get him out of the area soon, he would shift and they would attack him. She checked the vampires' positions and was startled by how close they were. They were only a few meters away now. Their eyes told her they were thirsty and their numbers told her they would not let them go without a fight.

"Quil," she addressed him. She had no other choice.

"What?" he snapped.

"Look," she said. He noticed the vampires surrounding them. Of course, he didn't know they were vampires yet, but his body was reacting to them. He was shaking and a growl slipped through his mouth. He looked shocked and immediately looked at Meadow for comfort and assistance.

"Meadow, what's going on?" he asked anxiously.

"Let it happen, Quil," she coaxed. "Relax and let go."

She assured him with her eyes that everything was okay, and he believed her. So, he breathed out and shifted into a chocolate brown wolf. He was confused as he hopped around and stumbled in his new form. Meadow noticed the hesitance the vampires felt when they saw Quil shift. But they didn't back down. Meadow shifted into her silvery copper coat and moved in front of Quil to protect him.

_What is happening?!_ Quil shrieked in his head.

_You shifted, _Meadow said plainly. She was concentrating on the two vampires in front of them. One was behind Quil, which worried her.

_Meadow?!_

_We don't have time,_ she said. _I know this is new to you but I need you to concentrate. There's a vampire behind you-_

_A vampire?! he exclaimed._

_Focus, Quil. I'll explain everything once we get back to the reservation. Just please take my word for it._

_....okay. What do I have to do?_

_There's a vampire right behind you. I need you to take it one while I get rid of these two._

_You want me to fight a vampire?!_

_Just keep it busy while I kill these two. Once I finish them off, I'll take the last one. Try not to get too far away from me and keep your eyes peeled for any reinforcements._

_But what if it catches up to me?_

_We're faster than them. Just don't let them get their arms around you. If you get into any trouble, call for me, _she said. The vampire on the left made a move forward and she growled in warning. There weren't any people around and the sky was darkening, so no one would see them. The problem was the store they were behind. If any employees came back, they'd surely see them fighting.

_.....When should I turn around? _he asked nervously. The vampire rushed towards her and collided with her wolf.

_Now!_ she shouted. She rolled the vampire off of her and checked on Quil. Thankfully, he headed her directions and was running around evading the vampire. Now that she knew he was safe, she focused on her two enemies. The one on the right, a blonde, ran towards her and gripped her fur to throw her. Meadow grabbed ahold of the blonde's arm and threw the vampire away from her. She went to pounce on it and finish it, but the other vampire, a raven-haired vampire, intercepted her. Panicked, Meadow shook the vampire off of her and jumped on it. She grabbed its head in her jaws and pulled until its head was disconnected from its body.

_How are you doing, Quil?_ she asked him.

_Um, _he panted, _it hasn't touched me yet._

_Good. I eliminated one of them. Give me a minute and then I'll help you._

_Take, _he breathed heavy, _your time._

The blonde attacking her licked his lips and grabbed her again. Meadow used her weight to fall on top of him. She ripped his arms off and finished him off before she assisted Quil. She couldn't help but wonder why it was so easy to take them down. The vampires she had fought before had calculating moves. These ones seemed to only be driven by bloodlust.

_Meadow? What's going on?_ Embry asked. She cursed as she forgot she was connected to the pack.

_Embry? How much have you seen?_ she asked.

_Huh? Nothing. I heard your thoughts just now about the vampires being different. Where are you?_

She would think about that new information later. She had to help Quil before anything else.

_Embry?_ Quil asked surprisedly.

_Quil? You shifted?_ Embry asked incredulously.

_Is this why you couldn't talk to me?_ Quil asked.

_Focus, Quil_, Meadow said as she saw him slow down. _I have news for Sam, Embry. Me and Quil will be back in about four hours._

She rushed forward and intercepted the vampire's jump. She tousled with it before she ripped it apart. She shook her fur out and trotted over to Quil. She bumped her head against him.

_You okay?_ she asked worriedly. _Y'know, with everything?_

_Does this mean I can talk to you, Jake, and Embry again?_ he asked hopefully. When she nodded her head, he said, _Then I'm okay with it._

She smiled, making her wolf grin in a slightly disturbing way.

_Now what do we do?_ he asked.

_In the trunk of the car, there should be clothes. Grab a shirt and shorts for me and shorts for yourself. Grab the lighter in the console of the car, too, _she directed him. She instructed him on how to change back and waited patiently for him to dress and return to her. Once he got back to her, she gestured for him to wait in the car while she finished everything. She got the vampire parts in a pile and lit it on fire.

Once they were in the car, Meadow put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot. As she drove down the road, she caught a glimpse of a brunette man smirking at her. He didn't rush after the car and only waved at her before he was gone from her sight. She was anxious to get out of the city. They stopped for food in Port Angeles and ate in the car. She was antsy until they passed the reservation border.

Sam was outside waiting for them when they got there. Paul was with him. As soon as Meadow stepped out of the car, Paul enveloped her in a hug. Quil stood next to her, unsure of what to do. He didn't know Sam well enough to walk over to him and he didn't want to leave Meadow's side after what they went through.

"What were you thinking?" Paul asked.

"It's not like I planned for it to happen," she told him with anger.

"What happened?" Sam demanded.

"I was looking for furniture for Emily in Seattle when three vampires cornered me and Quil. They caused him to shift and we had to fight them off to get away," she explained.

"Who saw?" he asked.

"No one. The area was clear of any witnesses."

Sam waited a few seconds before he asked, "Why was Quil with you? You know you aren't supposed to talk to him."

"Well, now I can," she said with a smirk. Then, she grew somber and said, "Something happened when we were leaving the area."

"Explain."

"There was another vampire that was different," she said.

"Different how?" Paul asked. "Aren't they all the same?"

Meadow shook her head and said, "The ones I fought were kind of clumsy. They weren't calculating their attacks or even thinking about their next move. It was almost like they were only focused on our blood."

"And the last one you saw?" Sam asked dubiously.

"He just stood there and stared at us as we left. He even waved at us. I think he's planning something."

"You think?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow,

"There shouldn't be that many vampires together. Not unless they were part of something bigger, like a clan. And they all had red eyes."

"We'll discuss it later. And your actions. For now, we need to catch Quil up to everything happening," Sam said.

"Quil doesn't have to know everything yet. He just phased," she argued.

"Regardless, there was another sighting of the redhead today. We need all members to understand what's going on if we're going to act like a cohesive unit," Sam said with no room to argue. Sam gestured for Quil to follow him into the house. With one look of reassurance from Meadow, he followed him. Left alone with Paul, Meadow sighed and faced him.

"Embry told me I should give you another chance," she told him emotionlessly. "But I'm not sure I should right now."

"What's stopping you?" he asked.

"You are," she said. "There's two things that need to be done before we can get back together."

"What are they?"

"I need you to openly support me," she said. When Paul tried to interrupt her, she gave him a look that stopped him.

"The second thing?" he asked.

"I need to graduate high school."

"And the last?"

"I need to become Alpha of the pack."

Paul's jaw locked before it relaxed and he let out a defeated sigh.

"Fine, but I have some of my own," he said determinedly.

"What are they?" she asked curiously. She didn't think he would have any of his own.

"I need you to stop ignoring me," he said obviously.

"That's easy," she snorted. "The second one?"

"I need you to introduce me to your father as your imprint."

"Do we need to be so formal?" she asked. "He already knows."

"Stop opposing everything," he said seriously. He was irritated and she knew that, so she stopped being difficult and crossed her arms.

"Lastly?"

"I need you to stop walking away every time something goes wrong. Deal?" he asked. He held his hand out for her to shake, and with a little deliberation, she grabbed his hand and gave it one good shake.

**A.N**


	28. Chapter 28

Meadow’s punishment was harsh and took a toll on her health. The other members of the pack were worried about her; even Jared was worried about her! She had to run patrol nonstop. Through her hazy and lethargic mind, she could remember the words Sam had said to her when he dished out her punishment. He had told her that if she liked running around so much, then she could run patrol enough for everyone in the pack. 

4 days. 

That’s how long she had to patrol. She was thankful Emily would stand outside with food and water in her hands so Meadow could eat. Paul had tried to argue with Sam about her punishment, but Sam shut him up with his Alpha voice. He did the same with anyone who opposed his punishment. Meadow had seen the contempt and unease in her packmates’ eyes and knew she had to do something before anything escalated. So, with her head held high, she walked out of the house, took a running start, and shifted on the fly.

Now on her 4th day, she was ready to keel over. She hadn’t spoken to anyone since she started, and they haven’t heard from her. Well, for the most part. Patrolling for days gave her time to think, and think she did. She finally figured out that she could cut her thoughts off from everyone. It wasn’t without difficulty. There were times she could do it without putting effort into it, and there were times when she really had to concentrate. 

She practiced her newly found skill, letting thoughts leak out when the others needed confirmation she wasn’t passed out somewhere. The trick was to clear your mind and not think at all. She just had to sort through her unconscious and conscious thoughts. Conscious thoughts were projected and unconscious ones weren’t. Because she knew everyone in the pack could hear her thoughts, all her thoughts came out as conscious no matter if they actually were. Once she stopped focusing on that aspect, she progressed.

A nudge on the left side of her body shook her from her daze. Paul nudged her again with his snout and whined before pushing her in a different direction. She stared at him confusion before she realized she had been straying from her patrol path. She sent him a tired but thankful nod. A few moments later, she felt a shimmer in her mind and heard Sam’s voice for the first time in four days.

Go home, he said, indicating that her punishment was over. With a small sigh of relief, Meadow ran back home with the last of her strength and shifted back into her human form. She wasn’t used to walking on two legs, so she stumbled throughout the house. Without changing into clothes, she laid on her bed and fell into a deep slumber.

When she woke up, her stomach was growling and empty. She made her way into the kitchen and found a box of meat-lovers pizza in the fridge. She heated the pizza in the oven before she ate the entire pie. As she stuffed the last piece of pizza in her mouth, her dad entered the room. 

“Good morning,” he said with a smile. Meadow looked out the kitchen window and took note of the afternoon sky. She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow. He chuckled at her and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

“I talked to the council,” he said, causing her to perk up. 

“About what?” she asked cautiously. 

“About you becoming the next Alpha,” he said as he met her eyes evenly.

“What did they say?” she asked anxiously. She knew she’d eventually have to get their approval, but she wasn’t ready to go to them yet. She was nervous about what they’d say, especially Old Quil. He was the strictest when it came to the legends. 

“They weren’t in favor of it. They agreed that Sam was level-headed enough to run the pack,” he said. Meadow’s chin hung close to her chest and she took a deep, shuddering breath. She pursed her lips before she blew out air and steeled herself. She would find a way around it. She had to.

“Of course, that was before they heard about the punishment he gave you,” Billy said. She froze and looked at him with hopeful eyes. She waited for him to continue before she jumped to conclusions.

“They agreed that your punishment was too harsh and unjust. They asked some of the pack members how they thought Sam was running the pack, and after hearing their testimonies, the council is willing to let you become Alpha.”

Her mouth hung open for a brief second before she let out an uncharacteristically loud squeal. She jumped and hugged her dad tightly.

“Thank you for talking to them,” she whispered in his ear.

“After Jake told me why you were gone for so long, I decided to talk to them,” he confessed. “I thought Sam could handle it, but I guess I was wrong.”

“He’s not too terrible. He’s gotten the pack this far,” Meadow said. “It’s just time for a change.”

Billy broke from the hug and said, “It’s up to you now. You have the council’s blessing. You just have to show us we were right in choosing you.”

“I won’t let the pack down,” Meadow said determinedly.

“Well, I’ll let you get back to eating. I know that lone pizza wasn’t enough to satisfy your appetite.”

“Actually, I think I’m gonna head over to the Clearwaters and see if Leah’s home. Then I’ll probably go over to Emily’s.”

“Not gonna stay home with your old man?” he asked humorously. 

“I have some things to catch up on is all,” Meadow said with an apologetic smile.

“Go ahead then,” he waved her off. She started walking out of the room before she stopped under the doorway. She thought for a minute before she spoke.

“Paul wants to meet you formally,” she said offhandedly. Honestly, though, she felt her nerves tangle within her. She didn’t know why but the thought of Paul meeting her dad as her imprint made her feel weird.

“That boy,” he said fondly. “I take it everything is good between the two of you?”

She shook her head and said, “Not everything, but we’re working on it.”

“Good to hear. Bring him over next week. I’m going over to Charlie’s today, so you might not see me later.”

“Okay. Bye, dad,” she said. She gave waved to him before she left the house. She walked to Leah’s house, refusing to shift into her wolf form. She had spent too much time in it and she was sick of running on all fours. When she got there, she knocked and waited for someone to answer. Sue answered the door with a smile.

“Meadow, what can I do for you?” she asked.

“Is Leah home?”

“She’s at Sam’s and Emily’s house right now,” Sue said. After thanking Sue, Meadow walked to Emily’s. She reached Emily’s door in ten minutes and walked in without knocking. She was greeted with everyone sitting and standing around the kitchen table. Confusion leaked into her expression and she immediately looked at Sam for information.

“You’re awake,” Paul said. He greeted her with a smile and held out his hand for her to take. She grabbed it for a second and squeezed before she let go. He seemed unhappy that she let go of his hand but didn’t say anything about it.

“What happened?” she asked as she looked around.

“Paul got into a fight with one of the leaches,” Jared said with a smirk. Paul grumbled and narrowed his eyes at Jared.

“He shouldn’t have come onto our land,” Paul said with a hint of anger. “They know the treaty.”

“He was just trying to catch the red-head,” Seth said shyly.

“It doesn’t matter!” Paul yelled. “They know not to cross the line.”

Meadow shook her head at her imprint’s stubbornness. She searched the room and landed her eyes on Quil. 

“How are you dealing with everything?” she asked him.

“It’s not so bad, especially since I get to hang out with Jake and Embry again,” he answered enthusiastically. She smiled fondly at him and mussed up his curly hair. He didn’t protest and instead reveled in the familiar feeling.

“Do the Cullens know anything about the redhead? Anything new?” she asked Sam. He scoffed and said, “Don’t make me laugh. Like I’d ever talk to them voluntarily.”

“It could help us if we collaborated just this once,” Meadow said. “The redhead’s tricky. We haven’t been able to catch her and it’s been months since she first showed up.”

“We’ll catch her without their help,” Sam said determinedly. Meadow rolled her eyes and stared at the ground. All she had to do was wait until the right moment to take the position. She kept reminding herself that she had approval from most of the pack members and the council. 

“In other news,” Jared said, “graduation is next week.”

Paul and Jared whooped in celebration while Meadow held a small smile on her face. 

“Finally,” Paul said. “I’m getting tired of all those English papers.”

“Right!” Jared exclaimed. “Who even uses Shakespeare?”

“Thou art so lovely this evening,” Paul joked.

“Oh, Romeo! Where for art thou Romeo?” Paul recited while he blinked his eyes quickly. Meadow laughed and smacked him over the head.

“Idiot,” she muttered under her breath. He heard her and said, “I’m your idiot.”

“My dad wants to meet you formally next week,” she informed him.

“Great,” he said warmly. 

“Where’s Jake?” she asked. 

“Went to Bella’s school,” Embry said with an eye roll.

“He’s causing trouble again,” she muttered.

“If his head wasn’t stuck so far up her ass he’d realize she was playing him,” Leah complained. 

“Leave him alone, Leah,” Meadow said with a laugh. “He’ll understand soon enough.”

“He needs to hurry up,” Embry groaned. “I’m tired of hearing about her.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a motorcycle pulling up to the house. The boys jumped from their seats and ran outside. Meadow shook her head and gestured for Leah to come out with her. She didn’t want to leave her in the house with Sam and Emily.

“Quil, you too?” Bella asked when she saw the new addition.

Quil smiled and said, “Yup! Finally made the pack.”

He was shoved a bit from Embry and Jared. The boys were always happy when a new member joined. It was like gaining a new brother.

“I’m glad you’re here Bella,” Embry said. “Maybe we can get a break from Jake’s obsessive inner monologue.”

“I wish Bella would call,” Paul imitated Jake. Meadow stifled her laughter by holding her hand over her mouth.

“I wish Bella wouldn’t call,” Jared said with a mixed expression of confusion and mirth.

“Maybe I should call Bella,” Embry said.

“Maybe I should call Bella and hang up,” Quil ended. The boys busted out in laughter, causing Meadow to laugh with them. Her brother’s lovesick ways were annoying but they were cute and funny, too. 

“Alright, you can shut up now,” Jacob said in embarrassment. Meadow walked up to him and slung an arm around his shoulders. 

“Don’t be embarrassed Jake,” she said quietly. He shoved her off of him and glared playfully at her.

“Glad to see you up,” he said. “How you feeling?”

“Fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Then, Jake noticed Leah and Seth were standing with them and introduced them to Bella.

“Bella this is Seth and Leah Clearwater, Harry’s kids.”

“Hey, I’m really sorry about your dad,” Bella said awkwardly. 

“If you’re here to torture Jacob some more, feel free to leave,” she said venomously before she walked away. She stood near the edge of the forest and waited for Meadow to join her.

“Fun isn’t she?” Jake said sarcastically.

“C’mon, Jake. My sister isn’t that bad,” Seth said while he rubbed the back of his head. Then, he greeted Bella with a wave. She reciprocated and looked at Jake, unsure of what to do or say next.

“We’re gonna go take a walk back to the house,” he told Meadow.

“Okay. Don’t take too long. I wanted to hang out with you, Quil, and Embry. Like old times,” she said. Jake nodded his head and left with Bella, promising to be back in a couple of hours.

* * *

A few days later, Jake came back to the reservation with some news.

“Some leach has been in Bella’s house,” he said when the meeting was called to order.

“The redhead?” Sam asked.

“Naw, it was a different scent.”

Meadow remembered the vampire in Seattle, the one who had let her and Quil escape freely. It couldn’t be a coincidence.

“It’s gotta be him,” she said. “The one from Seattle.”

“Why would he come all the way down here from Seattle?” Quil asked confusedly.

“I don’t know but the way he watched us leave was too creepy. He has to be involved somehow.”

“Whether it’s him or not, we need to keep them away from Bella,” Sam said.

“The Cullens want our help with a protection detail,” Jake said. “They can’t do it all by themselves.”

“We can’t leave the reservation unattended,” Sam argued. 

“We’ll switch on and off with them,” Meadow suggested. “She doesn’t need both of us at the same time.”

“It still pulls reduces our numbers here,” Sam stressed.

“They want Bella, which means they won’t be targetting La Push,” Meadow countered. “When it’s our turn to watch over her, two of us will go to her house and the other two will guard the res. We can even add more to the patrol schedule since school ends next week.”

“......Fine,” Sam conceded. “We’ll need to figure out pairings.”

“Just put those who are comfortable with each together. I’m sure with us and the Cullens protecting the house, they won’t come anywhere close to Bella. It’ll flow easier if everyone pairs up with the people they know best,” Meadow said.

“Then who is Leah gonna get paired with?” Jared joked.

“Probably MeMe. She’s the only one Leah will actually talk to,” Embry answered.

“Seriously,” Paul said.

“What are you complaining for?” Jared asked. “We all know all you’d do is flirt with Meadow.”

Paul stood up, ready to start arguing with Jared. Meadow placed a hand on his shoulder and he backed down with a huff.

“There’s nine of us, which means we don’ have complete pairs. We should have four pairs of two and then have the odd person out rotate between groups,” Meadow said.

“Not a bad idea,” Jared said, looking at Sam for his opinion.

“It’s a solid plan,” Sam said reluctantly. “What were you thinking in terms of pairs?”

“Paul and Embry, Jacob and Seth, Jared and Sam, me and Leah. Quil will be our ‘runner’.”

“Why Quil?” Sam questioned.

“He has the best stamina in the pack. He was able to outrun the bloodthirsty newborn in Seattle for a while and he’s the only one in the pack who isn’t out of breath after patrol,” she explained with a shrug.

“Okay,” Sam said. “Jake, inform the Cullens. We’ll do four-hour rotations at night. We’ll take the first shift. I don’t want Sue to yell at me again for keeping Seth out too late.”

“On it,” Jake said. Everyone dispersed from the meeting. Meadow caught Jake’s arm before he could leave the house.

“Make sure you tell the Cullens to inform us of any new developments. We can’t work with them if they don’t trust us with new information,” she said.

“Making me talk to them more than I have to,” he grumbled. 

“Good. You need to work on your conversational skills. All you do is talk in fragments,” she said in amusement.

“Yeah, yeah.”


	29. Chapter 29

Graduation came and Meadow was happy to finally be a graduate. She was wearing a flowy, white dress held up by two spaghetti straps that stopped mid-thigh. It wasn't one of her favorite things to wear, but it was a requirement for all girls to wear. Her school colors were white and black; the boys were assigned black graduation gowns and the girls were assigned white graduation gowns.

Honestly, she hated whoever thought the girls should be required to wear a certain color while the boys could wear whatever. Most boys would probably wear the classic black and white combo, but the fact that they were given a choice peeved her. Not only that but she didn't like wearing dresses. They were too flimsy and weren't ideal for movement.

She grabbed her white graduation gown and matching cap and headed out of her room. Thankfully, she could wear whatever shoes she wanted; she opted for slightly scuffed-up, white sandals. Her hair was brushed out and she had swiped some tinted chapstick on her lips. She wasn't big on make-up but she wanted to look a little dressed up for the occasion.

There was a knock at the front door, signaling that Paul had made it to her house. Jake answered the door in a pair of jeans and a nice shirt. Her dad was in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. She heard Jacob greet Paul as she rounded the hallway corner. Paul stood in the doorway with a carefree smile on his face. She looked him over and nodded her head in appreciation. He was wearing a white button-up dress shirt that was tucked into a pair of black slacks. His black gown was thrown over his outfit. On his feet were a pair of black vans. She raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment on it. His hair was gelled to the left and his black cap sat atop his head.

When her roaming eyes made contact with his, he smirked and looked her up and down. He stepped further into the house and held out a small bouquet of flowers. She hadn't noticed them before and was mildly surprised he had brought them.

"For you," he said. She took them and smelled them before going into the kitchen to find a vase.

"Paul's here," she informed her father as she filled a vase up with water. She turned the tap off and placed the flowers in the vase. She set the vase on the kitchen table and ushered her dad into the living room.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered under her breath.

"Don't sound so excited," Paul retorted. She rolled her eyes and stood next to him. He pulled her further into his side by throwing an arm around her shoulders. She outwardly scowled, but on the inside, she was happy to be in his arms again. When her dad rounded the corner, she elbowed Paul in his side hard, causing him to cough and curl in.

"Paul," Billy said as he wheeled himself closer to them. He held out a hand for Paul to shake.

"Billy," Paul said as he shook his hand. Then, he gave Meadow a look. She sighed and put on a cheery smile before introducing the two to each other.

"Dad, this is my imprint, Paul. Paul, this is my dad, Billy," she said plainly.

"It's nice to meet you, son," Billy said with a smile. "I trust you to take care of her."

"Of course, sir. Meadow's in good hands," Paul replied.

"Can we go now?" she asked. They chuckled at her expense and followed her out of the house. Meadow reached for the driver's door when a hand beat her to it. She narrowed her eyes and glared at her brother.

"I'm driving," Jake said. "I'd rather have something to do than hear you and Paul flirt the entire ride there."

"It's my car," Meadow argued. "I'm driving."

"If you drive, dad'll have to sit in the back. Are you really gonna make him sit in the backseat like a child?" Jake countered.

"I'm sure dad doesn't care," she said through clenched teeth. "If all you're gonna do is whine, why not sit in the back like the child you are?"

Jake muttered out a 'whatever' and let the door handle go. She got in the car and started the engine. When everyone was buckled in, she drove off to the school. She glanced through the front mirror and smirked at her sulking brother. It was a quiet ride there, save for the quiet hum of the radio.

When they reached the school, Meadow and Paul split from Billy and Jake to line up for graduation. It was being held outside in the field of grass off to the side of the school. The graduates, all fifty-four of them, were to come out of the gym doors and walk out onto the field. Meadow and Paul weren't sitting next to each other due to the nature of their last names, so they had to split from each other.

"Wait," Paul said before she walked off. He grabbed her white cap from her hands and put it on her head. He did it with care and attention; he focused on his task so much that a small wrinkle appeared between his dark eyebrows. Meadow warmly smiled up at him and watched a small appendage snuck itself out of his mouth. Paul moved her hair out of her face and smiled at her after he finished. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it when a warm pair of lips attached themselves to his. He was shocked but reciprocated the kiss with an eagerness. Meadow pulled away and bopped him on the forehead with her palm before she walked off.

* * *

Meadow walked through the crowd of people to find her dad and her brother. A pair of arms wrapped around her, and if it wasn't for the familiar feel of them, she would have thrown the person over her shoulder.

"C'mon," Paul said as he jerked his head to the right. "Everyone is this way."

"Everyone?" she questioned as he led her out of the crowd of people. Her dad, the council, her brother, and the rest of the pack were standing together waiting for her and Paul. Jared was dressed in his cap and gown, and so was Kim.

"Congratulations," they chorused together. Meadow smiled and gave each of them a hug. It was uncomfortable, but she wanted them to know she was grateful for their support.

"There are food and drinks at the house," Emily informed them with a smile. "I wanted to celebrate."

"Anything to cook," Meadow said with a laugh.

"We'll meet you there," Paul said. Meadow gave him a questioning look, which he ignored.

"I can only stay for a few hours," Jake said. "Bella's graduation party is tonight at the Cullen's house."

"Take Quil and Embry with you," Sam said. "I don't want you going there by yourself."

"I'll go with them," Meadow interrupted.

"You don't have to. Stay and celebrate your graduation," Jake said, trying to deter her. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work.

"You three idiots need someone to keep you in line," she retorted. Jake, Quil, and Embry let out a noise in protest, causing her to hit them over the head. Paul squeezed her hand and gestured in the other direction. After telling the others they would meet up with them in a bit, the two walked off.

They walked a couple of meters in the trees until they were alone. Meadow leaned against a tree, making sure not to rub her graduation gown against it and tear it. Paul stood opposite her with his hands in his pockets. He stood there and stared at her with an intensity she had seen a few times before. Her mind went to the time he approached her in the school parking lot, causing a small blush to form on her cheeks.

Paul walked up to her and grabbed her arms. He let his hands slide down her arms and fall in her hands. He took a step closer to her leaned his chin down so his mouth was at her ear. Meadow shivered from the feeling of his breath tickling her ear and let him wrap his hands around her waist. Their chests touched and it seemed like their breathing was in sync.

Paul nudged his nose against her face, asking her to lift her head. Meadow complied and met his lips in a heated kiss. Her lips molded to his as she let him control the kiss. He bit her bottom lip and pulled on it before capturing her lips once again. He grabbed the back of her thighs and hoisted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. When Paul grinded into her, she pulled away from the kiss and unwrapped herself. Her breath was uneven and came in pants; a glance at Paul showed he was in the same predicament.

"Sorry," Paul said in between breaths. "I didn't bring you out here to do that. I just..."

"It's okay," she reassured him. "What did you want?"

Paul's hand disappeared in his pocket before reappearing with something in it. He held his hand out and unclenched his hand from the object. It was a small black box with a small ribbon tied messily around it.

"I got you a gift. For graduation," he explained as she gingerly took it from his hand. "I know how hard you worked to graduate, so I wanted to give you something special."

She easily untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a simple silver band. She bit the inside of her lip and looked at it warily. She knew what it could mean but she wanted to hear from him first before she spoke. Seeing the look on her face, Paul rushed to explain.

"It's not an engagement ring," he said. "It's more like a promise ring, I guess."

"You guess?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I figure we'll marry eventually, so until then - until you're ready and I'm ready - I wanted to give you a ring that showed I was committed."

"Who says I'll marry you?" she asked playfully.

He smirked and said, "There's more than those kisses you could be getting if you married me."

She pushed him away in embarrassment and hit him on the chest. She gave him back the box and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers as a sign for him to slip the ring on her finger. He complied willingly and slowly slid the ring down her finger. When it was in place, he kissed it and kissed her on her lips twice.

"C'mon. Let's get back to the others."

* * *

Still wearing her white dress, Meadow walked into the Cullen's house with Jake, Quil, and Embry at her side. She had replaced her sandals with a pair of converse and had made sure the boys still were dressed up for the occasion. The party was in full swing with humans mulling about and music blasting in the background. The sweet smell of vampire overpowered her senses and cause her nose to constantly wrinkle.

She spotted Bella making her way towards them in a blue button-down dress shirt and jeans. When Bella reached them, she greeted Jacob and ignored the rest of them. Meadow scoffed but knew it was inevitable. Bella didn't know Quil and Embry that well and the last time she hung out Meadow was a disaster.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Jake. She glanced at Meadow quickly before settling her eyes back on Jake.

"You invited me, remember?" Jake said.

"Was my right hook too subtle for you? That was me uninviting you," Bella said.

"Look, Bella. I'm sorry about, you know, the kiss and your hand. I'd blame it on the whole inner animal thing, but it was really just...me being an ass. I'm really sorry," he apologized. Meadow was proud of her brother. He was a real sweetheart when he wanted to be.

She glanced around while they conversed and noticed one of the Cullens. She's never seen them in person, but their pale skin and yellow eyes gave them away. The Cullen was female with short, dark-brown hair. She was wearing a dark, short dress and a headband to match. She was walking on the stairs when she stopped and spaced out. Bella seemed to notice, too, as she stepped away from the group and approached the Cullen. Jake followed her, so Meadow, Embry, and Quil did, too.

"Alice, what did you see?" Bella asked.

"A decision has been made," Alice said with a wide-eyed look.

"What's going on?" Jake asked.

"They're not going to Seattle," Bella surmised.

"No, they're coming here," Alice said. With a rough idea of what they were talking about, Meadow intervened.

"We need to talk. All of us," Meadow said. "Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

Alice nodded and led them to the second floor of the house and into a study. A few seconds later, the rest of the Cullens entered the room. Meadow sized them up out of habit and kept the boys away from them to ease the palpable tension in the room.

"Edward filled us in on the way in here," the older blonde said. "This could turn into a blood bath."

"Who's behind it?" a bronze-haired male said. Judging by his closeness to Bella, Meadow deemed him to be Edward

"I didn't see anyone I recognized. Maybe one," Alice said.

"I know his face. He's local; Riley Biers. He didn't start this," Edward said.

"Either way, the army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town," a blonde-haired male with long locks said.

"Hold up!" Jake exclaimed. "What damn army?"

"Newborns. Our kind," the older blonde said.

"They're after Bella? What the hell does this mean?" Jake asked frustratedly.

"It means and ugly fight with lives lost," the older blonde said. Meadow's mind wandered to the day she took Quil up to Seattle. The vampires they had fought were different than any she had ever fought and the bloodlust they showed was out of control. She wondered if they were newborns.

"You've encountered them," Edward said astonished. He was looking directly at Meadow when he said it.

"I'm guessing you read minds," Meadow mumbled under her breath. Of course, the other inhabitants of the room heard her.

"I do," Edward confirmed. "When did you fight them?"

With all of the attention on her, she clammed up. She took a deep breath and recounted the experience to them.

"I took Quil up to Seattle to buy furniture when three of them spotted us and tried ambushing us. They were very bloodthirsty and their fighting was messy. I'd never experienced anything like it before."

"Definitely newborns," the long-haired blonde said.

"There was someone else there, too," Meadow mentioned. She pictured his face for Edward and he immediately recognized him to be Riley.

"He was there?" Alice said.

"It doesn't mean he's behind it," Edward said while he shook his head. "There has to be someone else behind it. We've never crossed paths with him and he was recently turned."

Meadow thought for a moment before she said, "It could be that redhead that's been running around town."

"Alice would have seen her do something," Edward ruled the option out.

"Well, what if Riley does all the dirty work for her?" Meadow asked. "I'm guessing you're a seer or something, right?"

"I see the decisions people make and the future based on those decisions. I've been monitoring Victoria for a while," Alice explained.

"Then, maybe she isn't making the decisions. Maybe she's sitting back and letting Riley do everything so she catches you off guard," Meadow suggested.

"It's a possibility we should consider," the older blonde said.

"All right. We're in," Jake said.

"No! You'' get yourselves killed. No way," Bella protested.

"I wasn't asking for permission," Jake shot back.

"Jake, calm down," Meadow warned him.

"Edward?" Bella said as she sought someone to back her up.

"It means more protection for you," Edward said solemnly.

"Jacob, do you believe Sam would agree to an understanding?" the older blonde asked.

Jake snorted and said, "You're asking the wrong person." He pointed at Meadow and continued, "You should be talking to her about it."

"My apologies," the blonde said. "I am Carlisle. You are?"

"Meadow Black," Meadow introduced herself. She held her hand out for Carlisle to shake, which he did after getting over some of his shock.

"Billy's daughter, I presume," Carlisle said with a smile.

"And future Alpha," she said with a smirk.

"Congratulations. This is Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme. I assume you already know who Edward and Alice are," he said as he introduced his family. Jasper was the long-haired blonde sitting by Alice. Emmett was a bulky dark-haired male and sat next to Rosalie, a blond with a glare fixated on her face. Esme was the chestnut-haired Cullen with the motherly aura.

"Nice to meet you all," she said. "I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement."

"As long as we get to kill some vampires," Jake muttered. Meadow hit him over the head, causing him to wince and glare at her.

"Jasper?" Carlisle said, directing his attention to the long-haired blonde.

"It'll give us the numbers. Newborns won't even know they exist. It'll give us an edge," Jasper said with an intensity to his eyes. Meadow assessed him and came to the conclusion that he had a lot of experience fighting newborns.

"Jake, you don't know what you're getting yourself into," Bella said helplessly.

"Bella, this is what we do. You should be happy; Look at us, we're working together. You are the one who wanted us to get along, remember?" Jake reminded her.

"Your lack of confidence in us wolves insults me," Meadow said sharply. "We're more than capable of taking down some vampires."

"What makes you so sure you dogs can help without getting killed," Rosalie sneered. Meadow was caught off guard as she was surprised to hear her talk. The Cullens looked at her for her answer; it seemed even the rest of them felt apprehension.

"Simple," Meadow said. "I'm with them, and I won't let anything happen to them."


	30. Chapter 30

Meadow, Jake, Embry, and Quil phased and ran back to the reservation as soon as they were done sorting out the details with the Cullens. As much as Jake wanted to stay and hang out with Bella, Meadow knew the rest of the pack needed to know what was going on as soon as possible. The earlier they knew, the earlier they could come up with a plan. As soon as they crossed the treaty line, Meadow let out a loud howl to alert the others. She waited until everyone was present to explain.

_What's going on?_ Sam asked impatiently. He circled around the four wolves before settling in front of Meadow.

_It's Bella, _Jake said. He paced back and forth before Meadow slapped him with her paw. He grumbled and sat on her left on his haunches. Paul was on her right, saddled up against her. Paul nudged her with his nose and licked her cheek. She swiped at him with her paw and rolled her eyes.

Meadow said, _There's an army of newborn vampires heading to Forks._

_An army of vampires?!_ Seth exclaimed fearfully. His brown eyes were wide and ears twitched. Leah, who sat next to him, took a step closer to comfort him.

_They want Bella, _Meadow said.

_When are they coming?_ Sam asked.

_A few days, at most, was what Alice told us, _Meadow informed him. _The Cullens want our cooperation to extinguish the army. I told them we would help._

_That wasn't your call to make, _Sam growled. He took a step towards her and raised his hackles. _How many times do I have to tell you to stay in your place?_

_It doesn't matter. We need to help protect the humans around here. If we don't kill them then who knows what they'll do, _Meadow said. _We don't have time for petty and useless arguments._

_We need to make sure they don't kill any more people, _Paul agreed, backing up Meadow. _You've seen the news, Sam. There's been too many disappearances._

_Yeah, dude, _Jared said. He looked at Meadow begrudgingly and then continued, _We have to protect the Res. They could hurt Kim or Emily. We gotta do this for them._

_Fine. We'll help the day of. For now, let's-_

_We're not just showing up the day of and fighting the newborns, _Meadow said sternly, cutting him off completely. She didn't know what possessed Sam to say something so stupid, but she wasn't going to let his spew such nonsense in front of the pack. She definitely wasn't going to let the pack follow those orders and get themselves killed.

_Don't interrupt me! _Sam yelled. _I won't tolerate your disrespect-_

_And I won't tolerate yours! _Meadow yelled angrily. Her hackles raised and her teeth clamped against each other. She snarled at him and raised to her feet.Everyone was silent as they watched the two wolves argue. They didn't want to get in the middle of it. Well, except Leah. She cheered Meadow on, egging her on to fight back against Sam.

_Who do you think you are, Meadow! _Sam shouted.

_I am Meadow Black, next Alpha of this pack! _she exclaimed proudly.

_Says who?!_

_The elders! _She showed him her memory of her dad telling her of the elders' decision. She showed him how he was losing control and how most wolves in the pack opposed his rule and favored hers. She put all of her emotions into her memories, making sure they hit him with fervor. She watched him collapse under the pressure she was putting on him and watched with hard eyes.

After a few moments, she sighed and shook her head to clear her mind. She was getting off topic. Now wasn't the time to challenge him to the position. She was afraid the pack wouldn't run smoothly enough for the fight against the army if they changed Alphas. So, she backed off and promised herself she would challenge him when everything calmed down.

_I may not be Alpha yet, but I know what's best for this pack, _Meadow said. _The Cullens are holding training practices before the fight. I told them we'd attend._

_Why do we need to go? _Jared asked. _I mean, we have our own fighting style._

_One of the Cullens has experience fighting them. I think it'd be beneficial for us to sit in on a couple to figure out a strategy, _she explained. _I'm also gonna talk to Carlisle about letting us train, too. If the Cullens get used to our fighting style, there might be fewer accidents._

_Sounds like a solid plan, _Paul said. _Just hate the fact we gotta be around a bunch of leeches and their stink._

_Don't sweat it, Paul, _Jared said, _You smell pretty bad most days anyway._

Paul lunged at Jared and the two rolled around the forest floor nipping at each other. Embry, Quil, and Jake egged them on, placing bets and predicting the winner of the 'fight'. Meadow rolled her eyes and nudged Leah to follow her for some girl time. Leah detached from Seth and followed Meadow. Just before they were out of view, Meadow said, _Meet-up at 2:30 for training. _Sam watched her walk away with Leah.

* * *

Meadow was the first one at their meeting spot. She took the time to lay on the ground and get a few minutes of sleep. Of course, that didn't work. As soon as she closed her eyes, a big lump of fur rammed into her. She opened her eyes and immediately went on the defense. The person chortled and Meadow scowled when she realized who it was.

_Seriously, Jake?_ she asked. _You couldn't greet me like a normal person?_

_Where's the fun in that?_ he asked humorously. _Besides, I couldn't hear you in the pack link, so I didn't even know you were here._

_You couldn't?_ she asked absentmindedly.

_Yeah. What's up with that?_

_It's just something I'm working on._

_Care to share?_

_Not yet. I'll let everyone know as soon as I know it's safe to do so._

_What do y'mean? Why wouldn't it be safe?_ Jake asked as he laid down beside her.

_You saw the way Sam was looking at me when I left with Leah. I felt his eyes on me. He isn't happy with the elders' decision. I think he might do something._

_What like attack you?_ he asked incredulously. _Sam wouldn't do that._

_Animals attack when they feel threatened, and I've been threatening Sam for awhile. I'm actually surprised he hasn't done anything yet._

_Did you forget your punishment for taking Quil to Seattle?_ He asked rhetorically.

_I meant like actually attack me. Like-_

_Hey guys! Seth exclaimed. He and Leah had phased and were on their way to the meeting spot. Meadow quieted while Jake answered them. After a few seconds, she greeted Seth and Leah._

_Ready to bored as hell?_ Leah asked Meadow. The small, gray wolf came out of the trees, followed by a gangly, sandy-colored wolf.

_We gotta pay attention, Leah_, Meadow said. _The whole point is to get used to the way they fight and get pointers on how to fight the newborns._

_Doesn't mean we'll enjoy it, _Embry grumbled as he joined them.

_Maybe we'll get to see them hurt each other, _Jared said with glee.

_Doubt it, _Paul muttered.

_Let's just get this over with, _Sam said. He entered the small clearing where everyone else was waiting and made eye contact with Meadow. He narrowed his eyes and raced ahead. Meadow gave him a look before she followed him. The pack was right behind her. When they got close to the training grounds, they heard fighting.

_Seems like they started without us, _Jared leered.

_How hospitable, _Paul said sarcastically.

_I'm surprised you know that word, _Meadow shot at him. She felt his bewildered eyes on her back and she chuckled at the shocking silence coming from him.

_Ooh burn, _Embry laughed out. Paul snapped at Embry's legs and huffed.

_I thought you were on my side, Flower,_ Paul complained.

_If it's true, it's true,_ Meadow said with a shrug of her shoulders.

_Quiet! We're here, _Sam ordered when the trees started thinning.

Prepare yourselves," they heard Edward say, "They've been holding out on us."

Meadow left the trees and stood on a gray precipice directly in front of the Cullens. Paul and Leah flanked her, while the rest fanned out to find a place to sit.

"Damn. Have you ever seen anything like it?" Emmett asked.

_I guess we are pretty awesome to look at, _Quil joked.

_Idiot, _Leah mumbled from her spot.

"Fascinating," Edward murmured. Carlisle looked at the wolves and then looked at Edward, asking a question in his mind.

"They don't trust enough to be in their human forms," Edward informed the Cullens.

_You're damn right we don't, _Jared said.

"They came. That's all that matters. Will you translate?" Carlisle asked Edward. When Edward nodded his head in affirmation, Carlisle took a step forward and opened his arms in a friendly gesture.

"Welcome," Carlisle greeted the wolves.

_Thank you, _Meadow said in response.

_We will watch and listen but no more. That is the most we can offer of our self-control, _Sam said. Meadow scoffed and cut-in before Edward could translate.

_We'll watch this time, but we want to practice in front of you. It'd be in both of our best interests if we observed each other's fighting styles,_ she said.

_We can't trust them enough to show them how we fight, _Sam argued.

_They are our allies! _Meadow yelled. _Stop treating them like the enemy!_

"Edward?" Carlisle addressed his son. "What are they saying?"

The only thing the Cullens could see was a silver and russet wolf snarl at a black one. They had no idea what was being said and were frustrated for being left out of the conversation.

"There seems to be a...... division within the pack," Edward said uneasily.

_Sam, just cool it,_ Jared said. _We aren't gonna get anywhere if you just argue with her._

_You're siding with her! _Sam accused him.

_I'm just looking at the bigger picture here. Meadow's plan is better, no offense. We should follow her decision._

Sam stared down his second in command before he conceded. Meadow nodded her head and met Edward's eyes, asking him to relay what she had told him.

"That is fine," Carlisle said. "A few of us were curious about your fighting techniques."

"You mean me and Jas," Emmett joked.

_Isn't that the one who crossed our border? _Embry asked.

_Yeah. Could have took him out if someone hadn't stopped me. _Paul said lowly.

_Let it go, Paul, _Jake said in exasperation.

"My son, Jasper," Carlisle started as he gestured towards Jasper, "has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your hunting style."

_They are different from you?_ Sam questioned.

Carlisle nodded and said, "They are all very new — only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you — it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."

_We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary, _Sam said eagerly. A rumble of agreement passed through the pack. Meadow rolled her eyes at their eagerness and asked, _Do you know when and how they'll arrive?_

"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path," Alice answered.

_So, are we starting or not?_ Quil asked impatiently. _I'm tired of all this talk._

_And that's why you still don't run patrol as much as Seth, _Jake said in exasperation.

_What's that supposed to mean, Black?_ Quil asked.

_They're starting, _Meadow warned the bickering wolves.

"Carlisle's right," Jasper spoke. His back was to the wolves and his back was tense. He was obviously uncomfortable. "They'll fight like children. You'll need to remember two important things: First, don't let them get their arms around you. And second, don't go for the obvious kill. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they'll be too confused to respond effectively. Emmett?"

Emmett stepped out of the uniformed line the Cullens were in and grinned.

"Okay, Emmett first. He's the best example of a newborn attack."

"I'll try not to break anything," Emmett muttered with narrowed eyes.

Jasper grinned and said, "What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about the attack. The newborns won't be trying anything subtle, either. Just go for the easy kill, Emmett."

Meadow watched the fight intently. She was mesmerized by the way Jasper moved about. He was graceful, agile, and so obviously experienced. When Jasper got the jump on Emmett and bared his teeth at Emmett's neck, the pack rumbled in appreciation.

_He's good, _Seth commented. His eyes were glued to the two fighters.

_Guess they got lucky with that one, _Sam said. They watched the entire training, commenting when necessary and discussing techniques.

_We'll need to watch each other's backs, _Meadow said. _If they get their arms around us or bite us, we could get hurt._

_Should we pair up, _Quil asked, _like we did when we watched over Bella's house?_

_A formation would be better, but that would be too reckless, _she said. _The Cullens could get in the way._

_You said all of us had a different strength. Could we use that to our advantage?_ Leah asked.

_Definitely,_ Meadow said.

_How are we joining the fight? _Jake asked.

_Not sure. We'll need to figure out the kinks with the Cullens, _she said.

_Maybe you should go to their house and discuss it with them, _Seth suggested. When everyone in the pack turned to look at him, he whined and lowered his head.

_Was it something I said?_

_It's a good idea, _Jake said. _We can't just rely on that mind-reading bloodsucker._

_Jake and Seth are right, _Meadow said. _I'll go over there tomorrow. The earlier, the better._

Just then, Jasper turned towards the wolves and said, "We'll be doing this tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again."

_We'll be here, _Meadow confirmed.

_We should get familiar with their scents, _Sam said out of the blue. _We wouldn't want there to be any mistakes during battle._

_Good idea, _Meadow said. Edward relayed Sam's thoughts to Carlisle, who agreed to Sam's request. The Cullens lined up, their postures tense and unmoving. Sam went first, sniffing Carlisle and wincing at the stinging sensation it gave him. Meadow was right behind him. Each Cullen had a distinct undertone that seemed to complement their individual personalities. It made it easier to distinguish them from other vampire scents they've come across before. A low whine broke through Seth's muzzle when Sam's advance left him isolated between Carlisle and Jasper.

_Calm down, Seth. We're almost done for the day, _Meadow soothed the young wolf.

_The smell is a lot, _Seth confessed uncomfortably.

_The smell is like acid to my nose, _Embry complained. Hearing the wolves become vocal, the Cullens tensed even further. Meadow noticed and barked at the pack.

_They're just as uncomfortable as you are. Sniff them and move on,_ Meadow snapped. The pack quieted except for a huff from Sam. Once they were done, the pack ran off. Jake stayed behind to talk to Bella while Meadow approached Edward. Edward, who was staring at Bella, glanced at Meadow.

_Can you call Carlisle over here? _she asked. Edward nodded and called his father over.

"What can I do for you....?" Carlisle asked, trailing off as he realized he didn't know who the wolf was.

"Meadow," Edward supplied.

"Ah, right," Carlisle said. "What can I do for you?"

_I'd like to come over to your house and talk about the day of the battle. We have a lot of unanswered questions, _she said.

"Of course. We'd be more than happy to have you," Carlisle said.

_I'll be around after 8._

"So late?" Edward said with a raised eyebrow.

_I have pack duties to attend to,_ she answered simply.

"Sure," Carlisle said. "We'll see you then."

Meadow trotted off and waited by the treeline for Jake to finish up his conversation. When ten minutes went by, she growled and barked at him, drawing the attention of everyone left in the clearing.

"Someone's waiting for you," Bella said. She removed her hand from Jake's head and shoved it in her jacket's pocket. Jake huffed and glared at Meadow for cutting him off.

_Like I care,_ Meadow said. _Let's go. You still have to take dad to his appointment tomorrow morning._

_Why can't you take him?_ Jake asked as she made his way towards her.

_Because you already said you would,_ Meadow shot back. With Jake by her side, she darted off into the forest.

_It was weird today, wasn't it?_ Meadow questioned him.

_What are you talking about now?_ Jake asked with a roll of his eyes.

_Everyone followed me to an extent. Well, everyone except Sam. It's weird, right?_

_They respect you, MeMe._

_Even Jared did. You heard the way he sided with me._

_You're gonna be the next Alpha. If the elders already accept, then there's no way to avoid it. I think we're just accepting the inevitable._

_Do you think they're okay with it, though?_

_Geez! I liked it better when you weren't in tune with your emotions, _Jake complained lightly.

_I'm being serious, Jake. I don't want to tear the pack apart because of my decision._

_You worry too much. Jared respects you, Paul respects you, everyone in the pack respects you. You'll do a great job, MeMe, so stop sweating it._

_I guess you're right._

They neared the house; the backyard's light shining through the tree leaves. They phased into the human forms and pulled on some clothes. They reached the backdoor and walked in.

"Where do you have to go tomorrow anyway?" Jake asked.

"I have to talk to the elders."


	31. Chapter 31

Walking up to the Cullens' house, Meadow wasn't given a chance to knock as Carlisle greeted her by the open front door with a smile. She gave him a small smile in return and stepped inside. The sound of a basketball game playing was heard in the room over and the smell of all seven of the Cullens permeated the air. Mixed in with their scents was one of Bella Swan. It was strong, hinting to the fact that Bella was present.

Carlisle led Meadow to the living room and gestured for her to take a seat on one of the available couch cushions. Edward and Bella were already sitting on the love seat, so Meadow took the farthest set away from Rosalie on the longer couch. Esme was standing next to Carlisle while Emmett sat on the armrest beside Rosalie and Alice and Jasper stood to the right of Edward.

Bella waved at Meadow, who reciprocated the action half-heartedly. She wasn't sure what Bella was doing at the meeting, but she wouldn't speak on it. Ultimately, it was up to the Cullens whether they wanted her present or not.

"Welcome, Meadow," Carlisle said. "You had some questions for us?"

"Yes," she said, unconsciously straightening in her seat. Her hands were sweaty and she was nervous about representing her pack. It was a big deal to be the sole voice of nine people. What if she forgot something? What if she forgot what they said and got the information wrong? She knew it was irrational, but she couldn't help feel immense responsibility for the pack's lives.

"Your worries are for naught," Edward said. Meadow widened her eyes in surprise before she narrowed them and glared at the bronze-haired male.

"Please refrain from reading my thoughts. They're private for a reason," she said menacingly. She did not appreciate his 'gift' when it wasn't useful.

"I apologize. I cannot control it," Edward said with a hesitant smile.

"Then, don't comment on them," Meadow said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forgetting where she was. She winced at the harsh stinging her nose underwent and sighed in frustration.

"I'm sorry about the smell. I would have sprayed the house if I knew you were this sensitive," Esme apologized.

"It's not like the dog doesn't smell either," Rosalie bit out.

"Rose," Esme scolded her.

"It's fine," Meadow said. "I understand the circumstances aren't great, but I'm grateful you allowed me into your home. The pack is trying to come up with a strategy for the battle, but we need to know what you are planning to do first?"

"Right, I'm sure Jasper can answer your question," Carlisle said. "Jasper?"

"We will be waiting in the field for the newborns," Jasper said.

"The field we're training in?" Meadow asked for clarification.

"Correct. The pack will join us when all the newborns are on the field. That should only take a few seconds to occur."

"Do you know which direction the newborns will be coming from?"

"West."

Meadow started configuring strategies in her mind the more information Jasper gave her. The best entrance for the pack would be coming from the east. A few of them could jump from the precipice situated there and get the jump on the newborn army. Of course, she'd have to figure out a starting formation, then. Only the strongest and more experienced wolves should be jumping from the rock and entering the middle of the battle so suddenly.

"Where will Bella be during all of this?" Meadow asked. "A member of two of the pack could watch over her while the rest of us fight."

"I'm going to be on the mountain with Edward," Bella informed her. Meadow looked at Edward and raised an eyebrow at him, questioning his thoughts on the matter.

"It's so we aren't apart," Bella supplied.

"Isn't having her so close to the fight detrimental?" Meadow asked. "What if some of them slip through and target her?"

"That's why I will be with her," Edward said.

"You're making a mistake," Meadow said. "As much as I don't like your mind-reading, it would be helpful to the fight."

"He's doing it for me," Bella said firmly. Meadow shrugged and left the subject alone. She wasn't there to argue.

"I'll have one of the pack stay with you, too," Meadow said. "It'll allow us to keep in contact with you and Bella during the fight."

"Jake can do it, right?" Bella asked. Then, sheepishly, she said, "I mean, I'd feel more comfortable if he was the one with us."

Meadow shook her head and said, "Jake needs to fight with us. He's one of the strongest fighters in the pack. It'll either be Seth or Quil."

"But aren't you worried about his safety? Wouldn't he be safer with me?"

"I understand you're worried, but please don't question my decisions regarding the pack again. I know that what I'm doing is what is best for the pack. I know you're Jake's friend, but it's insulting that you don't have faith in him. Jacob can take care of himself," Meadow said with no room for argument. "I have no more questions for you. Do you have any questions for me?"

"No. Thank you for coming, Meadow," Carlisle said warmly.

"Thank you for answering my questions. I hope we can maintain a friendly relationship."

* * *

"How did your talk with the elders go?" Jake asked Meadow. The Black siblings were sitting on the cliff overlooking the ocean. Their legs were swinging as the sun tried to peek from behind the graying clouds. Meadow let her shoulders drop and a sigh left her mouth.

"There were a few problems," she confessed. She grabbed a pebble from beside her and threw it as far as she could. She heard it _plop _into the water and saw it disappear beneath the surface.

"I thought they were on board with the whole Alpha switch," Jake commented. "Don't tell me they changed their minds."

"They didn't change their mind. They just want another Sam; they want another person they can control and I'm not like that. I don't want to be an Alpha that caters to the needs of the elders instead of to the needs of the pack," she said stressfully.

"I get it," he said. "It's hard pleasing dad so it must be hard pleasing the elders."

"I don't care if I please them or dad anymore. I'm not going to let them or anyone dictate what I do anymore. It's time I bloom," she said. A small smile shined on her face and her brown eyes were closed off from the world. She was content with her life, for once.

"Yeah, well say something cheesy like that again and I'll be dictating what you can and cannot say," Jake joked with a snicker. Meadow let out a loud laugh and smiled widely at her younger brother. She threw an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her in a one-armed hug. She was truly happy she had her brother by her side.

"Y'know, now that I'm going to be Alpha, I'm gonna need a Beta," she said off-handedly.

"You're not gonna let Jared keep the position?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I have a feeling he won't want to be Beta anymore, not without Sam."

"Leah?"

"Leah's great, but you have something she doesn't have."

"Besides the obvious?" Jake asked with a snort.

"You're invested in the pack," Meadow said sincerely. When he went to comment, she cut him off and said, "I'm not questioning Leah's loyalties or anything like that; I know she would do anything for the pack, even if she acts like she wouldn't. But as soon as she can get out, she will."

It was no surprise to any of the pack members that Leah would quit phasing as soon as she wasn't needed. All Leah ever wanted was a family with kids and a nice husband. That fairytale was ripped from her once, so there was no stopping her if the chance arose again. Phasing was just an obstacle in the way of her dream. Meadow couldn't relate because her life's plan was to stay on the reservation, but she understood where Leah was coming from. She hadn't wanted to be a huge furry dog either. But things changed. She changed. She had more people to look out for and more lives to protect.

"I guess I could give you a hand," Jake said after some thought. "Don't expect me to start right away, though. After this whole battle thing, I want a break."

"Well, I still need to beat Sam before anything is final."

Jake narrowed his eyes and gave her his best, confused face. She nodded her head and removed her arm from around his shoulders. She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

"Nothing is final until I challenge Sam and beat him in a fight. It's tradition for any wolf wanting to be Alpha to challenge the current one to a fight to determine whether or not a new Alpha will take charge."

"Aren't you all about breaking tradition?" Jake asked.

"Is that how you see me?" Meadow asked with a laugh. Then, she grew somber and confessed, "I won't feel satisfied if I don't beat Sam in a fight. I'll feel like the position was handed to me. I want to fight for it and show the pack my strength."

"You don't have to prove anything, MeMe. You've already proven enough," he said.

"I've improved, not just for myself but for the pack. I want to show everyone that I'm serious about this," she said. "Besides, the elders told me that if I couldn't beat Sam, if I can't show that I'm stronger, faster, smarter than he is, they'll choose someone else."

"They can't do that!" Jake exclaimed angrily.

"They can and they will. And you know who they'll want as Alpha."

"Me."

"Yeah," she confirmed. "I know how much pressure that would put on you, and I know you don't want that kind of responsibility. So, I won't let you down."

"That's one less thing I have to worry about," he muttered lowly. Meadow looked at him, cocking her head to the side and willing him to continue with her eyes. "Bella wants to turn. Like, soon, and I can't change her mind."

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Meadow asked. When he nodded she said, "Bella won't listen to you, or us, or anyone not agreeable to her decision to turn. Let her go, Jake."

"You're just gonna let them turn her into some blood-sucking leech!?" Jake yelled. He stood up from his perch and started pacing back and forth.

"It's a lost cause, Jake," Meadow said sternly. She stood and walked up to him, halting his pacing. "Whether they turn her while she's still in Forks or they turn her in some other town, they will turn her! It isn't our fight."

"I can't give up on her yet! She isn't sure of her decision," he argued.

"She's sure," Meadow said softly. She placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "I just want what's best for you, Jake."

"Maybe you shouldn't be Alpha. At least Sam wouldn't let them break the treaty."

* * *

_Is everyone in position? _Meadow asked. She was standing in the shadows of the trees, along with everyone except Quil and Seth. Sam, Embry, and Jared were in front in a triangle formation. Sam, the strongest of the pack was to engage the battle first, flanked by Embry, the wolf with the best reflexes, and Jared, the wolf with the best eyesight. They were going to be the main fighters of the battle. It would have been a diamond shape, but someone was taking too long.

_Where the hell is Jacob? _she asked.

_He's still saying goodbye to Bella,_ Quil, the wolf with the best stamina, informed her. He was up in the mountains with Edward and Bella. He was Edward's link to the pack and battle.

_Man, this sucks! Why can't I be there with all of you?_ Seth, the wolf with the best hearing, complained. He was monitoring the reservation.

_Shut up and keep moving_, Leah barked. _It's better for you to stay out of the fight._

Leah, Paul, and Meadow brought up the rear in a semicircle formation. Leah, the fastest wolf in the pack, was on the left and behind Jared. Paul, the wolf with the best smell, was on the right and behind Embry. Meadow, the wolf with the best observation and thinking, was in the middle and behind Sam. They were going to be the support fighters.

_I can't wait to sink my teeth into some leeches, _Jared said in anticipation.

_This is the only real action we're gonna see for a while. Better enjoy it while it lasts Cameron, _Paul said with a smirk.

_Whatever you say, support fighter, _Jared said slyly. Paul growled as his hackles raised.

_Are you two always going to fight during serious moments?_ Meadow asked in exasperation. Paul sniffed the air and growled again.

_I'm on my way now, _Jake finally answered. In his head, he replayed the kiss he shared with Bella. The pack groaned and rolled their eyes at his giddiness.

_You didn't stick to the plan,_ Meadow said heatedly. _We need you here, not in the mountains._

_I said I'm on my way, _Jake snapped back. _I'll be there before they even show up._

_Not likely, _Paul said. _I can smell them. They're close._

_Try to be on time for the next fight, _Meadow sassed him.

_Bella needed-_

_Save it, _Meadow growled. _I don't want to hear your excuses._

_Not easy being in charge, is it? _Sam taunted her. She glared at him but ignored his comment. The sound of more than a dozen pairs of feet entered Meadow's ears. Her ears flattened against her head and she bared her teeth in warning.

_Get ready. They're here._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't remember if I told you yet, but the wolves actually do have those increased senses. The only one I made up was Paul's, I think, because there was nothing listed for him. I found all the information on the pack members' Twilight Wiki pages. 


	32. Chapter 32

_Jared, watch your six! _Meadow shouted. She ran forward and jumped on the newborn trying to kill Jared. She bit the newborn and tore off its head with no hesitation. As soon as she was done doing that, a newborn rammed into her, causing her to roll. With a curse, Meadow rolled them so she was on top and killed the newborn. 

_Damn leeches are everywhere! _Embry said with a grunt. 

_They move so fast! _Jared said frantically as he tried shaking off two newborns. Sam helped him out by clamping his mouth on their shoulders and throwing them off his pack brother.

_Stay alert and stay focused!_ Sam shouted. 

_How you doing, Leah?_ Meadow asked. The russet and silver wolf was preoccupied and couldn’t see the other she-wolf. 

_I haven’t let one leech touch me, _Leah said proudly. Meadow heard Paul growl and bark for help. She swiveled her head and saw Paul being ambushed by three vampires. Changing directions, Meadow ran to his aid. Before she got there, Emmett pulled the vampires off and killed one, letting Paul kill the other. Seeing one left, Meadow jumped and tore the newborn in half before she landed. She made eye contact with Emmett and nodded at him in thanks.

_Are you okay, Paul? _Meadow asked anxiously. _You didn’t get bit or anything did you?_

_Relax, Meadow,_ Paul said, _I’m good. Focus on the battle._

_Right,_ she said breathlessly. 

_We got trouble!_ Quil yelled. 

_What’s going on?_ Meadow asked. Through Quil’s eyes, she saw Edward and Bella being cornered by Victoria and Riley. Edward shielded Bella by placing himself in front of her and tried persuading Riley to stand down.

_If they engage, attack, _Meadow ordered Quil. _We have to protect them. Try going for Riley first. He’s your best bet._

As soon as she finished her sentence, Riley lunged for Edward and Bella. Mid-air, Quil jumped out of the bushes and latched onto the brunette vampire. 

_Yes! That’s what I’m talking about, Quil!_ Jacob shouted in encouragement. Meadow saw a newborn trying to sneak up on Alice, so she raced to destroy it before it could do any harm. Alice saw Meadow running towards her and raced in her direction. Alice jumped over Meadow, causing the newborn following her to end up directly in Meadow’s jaw. Sam ran by her at that moment and bumped into her hard. Meadow fell to the ground and a newborn was immediately on her.

_What the hell, Sam!_ she yelled as she tried to fight the newborn off. It was hard to grab the vampire because she didn’t have any opposable thumbs or fingers. 

_Watch where you’re running next time, _Sam said menacingly as he ran off without helping her. Tears of frustration began building up in Meadow’s eyes as she realized what Sam had just done. 

_Meadow!_ Paul shouted in desperation. He was caught up with a few newborns and couldn’t get to her. He tried dodging the newborns in front of him, but they wouldn’t let him move forward.

_MeMe! _Jake shouted. He made it to her in record time and ripped the newborn off her. He destroyed the vampire before looking her over for any injuries. Then, he glared at Sam and growled.

_What the hell man!_

_Not now, Jake!_ Meadow said as she shook out her fur. _We’ll deal with it later! Right now, we have to stay focused on the fight. _

_Guys, we have a problem, _Seth said. _There are two vampires on the res. I’m chasing them now, but I can hear people walking nearby._

_How’d they slip through?_ Sam asked, bewildered. _You said none of them would slip through our formation, Meadow!_

_I said none of them should slip through our defenses. No plan is ever guaranteed, _Meadow defended herself. 

_I think- I think it’s Brady and Collin! _Seth exclaimed. Meadow groaned, hoping what she feared could happen, wouldn’t happen.

_Try to steer the newborns away from them, _Meadow instructed. _We can’t have them stumbling across Brady and Collin. _Then, she directed her attention to Quil. _Quil, how close are you guys to finishing up there?_

_That Riley kid is done for already, but Edward’s still fighting the redhead, _Quil reported.

_I hate to say this, but you need to head over to the res as fast as you can and help Seth out._

_Got it!_ Quil said before leaving the mountain campsite. 

_Do you really think it’s a good idea to leave Bella unprotected like that?_ Jake asked.

_We don’t have a choice, _Meadow snapped. _Bella isn’t the only thing we have to protect._

_One on your right, Meadow!_ Paul shouted. Meadow thanked Paul and quickly took down the newborn. 

_Crap, crap, crap!_ Seth yelled.

_What the hell is going on, Seth?!_ Sam demanded to know.

_Brady and Collin just phased! _

_Hang on! I’m almost there! _Quil shouted. 

_Could things get any worse?_ Jared muttered.

_Don’t jinx it, _Paul said uneasily.

_Too late!_ Seth yelled. Meadow watched helplessly as Seth jumped over a fallen branch and landed clumsily in front of Brady and Collin. One of the vampires Seth was chasing grabbed Brady by the neck and opened its mouth to bite him on the neck. Fortunately, Brady phased, causing the vampire to let him go. Like a chain reaction, Collin phased seconds later. Unfortunately, now the pack had two panicking and terrified voices in their heads. 

_What’s going on?! _Brady questioned.

_You just changed into a wolf dude! _Collin shrieked.

_So did you! _Brady yelled.

_Oh my god! Shut the hell up! _Paul yelled suddenly. 

_Who was that?_ Brady asked in fright.

_Please calm down, _Meadow said in exasperation. 

_We don’t have time for this, _Sam muttered.

_Seth watch out! _Quil shouted. A vampire snuck up on Seth and lunged for him. Quil intercepted the newborn and killed it before it could do any damage.

_Thanks, man,_ Seth said in relief. _I killed the other one. These were the only ones I saw and heard, so we should be good now._

_Seth?! _Brady shouted.

_Seth, help them phase back and explain as best as you can until we’re done here,_ Meadow ordered.

_They should stay in their wolf forms,_ Sam argued. _They can help protect the reservation._

_And get killed? I don’t think so, _Meadow said. She gritted her teeth and tried focusing on the battle as much as she could. It was almost over; there was only a handful of them left in the field, but she couldn’t let her guard down for a second. Nothing was going as planned and the whole thing was turning out to be a disaster. She stressed over the fact that she had so much to do after the fight. She had to explain everything to Brady and Collin still, and she had to figure out how to incorporate them into the pack. They were so young - only thirteen years old - that she wasn’t sure how she should go about it.

_I got the last one,_ Jared announced, signaling the end to the battle. With a sigh of relief, Meadow took a breather before checking on every pack member in the vicinity. While she did that, the Cullens started a fire and began burning the dismembered bodies.

_ Great job, Meadow, _ Leah praised Meadow.

_ What for? _ Meadow asked. She tilted her head in confusion.

_ You were a great leader, _ Leah explained.

_ Yeah, you led us well,  _ Paul said. Unused to praise, Meadow stumbled to find words.

_ Seriously, Meadow, _ Jared said.  _ You’ll make a great Alpha. _

“The Volturi are coming,” Alice announced. Her voice held a hint of fear and her eyes were wider than usual.

_Who the hell is that?_ Jake asked.

“They are the government, so to speak, of the vampire world. It would be in the pack’s interest to leave before they get here,” Carlisle clarified.

_They seem scared, _Embry commented.

_Then, we should get out of here,_ Meadow said. To her right, Edward and Bella entered the field. Jacob perked up at the sight of Bella and his thoughts flooded with images of him kissing her again.

_Knock it off, Jake, and let’s go, _Meadow said. She walked up to him when he refused to budge and pulled on his ear with her teeth. Ignoring his protests, she began to drag him in the direction of the reservation. She was interrupted by the sight of a newborn.

_He must have been hiding the whole time, _Leah said. _I got this one!_

“Leah, don’t!” Edward yelled. Hearing the distress from his voice, Meadow let Jacob’s ear go and ran after Leah. 

_On your left, Meadow! _Paul warned her. There was another unattended newborn running in her direction. Meadow looked at Leah, trying to figure out the best course of action. On her right, in her peripherals, she saw Sam running straight for her. Meadow concluded that Sam was going to take care of the newborn for her so she could assist Leah. She was wrong.

Sam slammed into her side and hit her so hard that she tumbled to the side. The newborn rushing her wrapped its arms around her to keep her in place. With a sick smile of satisfaction, the newborn squeezed, and Meadow let out a howl of pain.

_Meadow! _

Several voices called for her, but all she could focus on was the pain. The newborn continued to squeeze. Meadow felt the bones on the left side of her body crack and break under the pressure. She whined loudly and drowned in the pain. She had never experienced something so painful before and wanted the pain to go away. She felt hands touch her and thrashed about before realizing the hands were warm and familiar.

“Meadow, tell me you’re alright!” Paul said. His voice was stern, yet it wavered and was full of anxiousness. She felt cold hands on her and panicked.

“Stay still, Meadow,” Jacob demanded.

“The bones on the left side of her body are broken” Carlisle said as he moved his hands over her body to inspect the damage.

“You mother-!”

“Paul, not now!” Jared yelled. Through blurry eyes, Meadow saw Paul push Sam and shake ferociously in anger.

“I can’t believe you’d go so far as to try to kill her!” Leah yelled at Sam. “Actually, I can!”

“He got Meadow hurt on purpose!” Paul yelled. “No matter what, you can never hurt an imprint. Isn’t that the rule?!”

“We have to get Meadow back to the reservation!” Jake shouted over Paul’s voice.

“I’ll be over as soon as I can to help if you’ll allow it,” Carlisle said, “but you really must go.”

“The Volturi won’t appreciate a truce with wolves,” Edward said.

“We’ll take her home,” Jake said with a nod.

“Meadow, you have to phase back,” Embry said urgently. Meadow whined in protest. She knew what pain was to come if she did.

“We can’t carry you home like this,” Embry argued. 

“You have to go now!” Alice warned the pack.

“C’mon, Flower,” Paul said as softly as he could. He kneeled next to her and gave her a wavering smile. “I know you’d thrive in this field, but we need to get you home. Can you phase? For me?”

Meadow tried taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, but every time she did, a sharp pain hit her. She winced and stopped. Her eyes searched the area and landed on every set of eyes in her vision. She tried to find empathy, and she did. However, she also found urgency and fear. Understanding the intensity of the situation, she began picturing her human self and phased back. As soon as she phased back she let out a scream. Paul grabbed the shirt the pack had on standby and covered her with it. The pack surrounded her and picked her up on the count of three. They rattled her, causing her to let out another noise of pain. The pain was too much and she passed out.


	33. Chapter 33

When Meadow came to, she was drowsy and her body felt very fatigued. She could barely move, and when she did, a sharp pain shot through her body. She glanced around the room and noticed there was a chair sitting in the corner. Underneath her, the sheets and her pillow were drenched with sweat. A blanket was thrown atop her body and a glass of water sat upon her nightstand. 

She opened her mouth to call for someone, but her voice was hoarse and dry. She cleared her throat and forced out a noise. Within seconds, her door was thrown open and Jacob was beside her. He had a guilty look on his face and met her eyes once before he looked away.

“Water,” Meadow croaked out. Jacob grabbed the glass of water and helped her sip it. The cool water ran down her throat and coated her mouth with a refreshing sensation. When she finished the glass, she let out a breath of relief and rolled her tongue around. She glanced at her younger brother, wanting to say something to alleviate his discomfort but not knowing what to say.

“How do you feel?” Jake asked first. His question was cautious like he was walking on a fine line. 

“I feel okay,” Meadow answered. “How is everyone else? How is Leah?”

“Leah was able to handle the newborn on her own, so she didn’t get hurt. Everyone’s not doing so good,” he admitted. His statement concerned Meadow, and, out of instinct, she tried getting out of bed. A wave of pain shot through her body, causing her to gasp and throw herself back on the bed.

“Easy,” Jake warned. “Doc says you broke every bone on the left side of your body.”

“How long do I need to recover?” she asked.

“A month, at most. Doc says some of the bones should heal faster than others.”

“Who’s in charge of the pack?” she asked quickly. “What’s being done about Sam?”

“Nothing,” Jake said with a scoff. “The council won’t do anything because he’s technically still the Alpha.”

Meadow moved to get out of bed, but Jake stopped her with his hand. He pushed on her fight shoulder gently but firmly. She protested, but her cries were ignored. With a huff, she laid back on the bed. She didn’t care if she was in immense pain; she needed to get out of bed and help. If Sam could hurt her so badly that she needed weeks to recover, there was no telling what he could do to the rest of the pack.

“I need to-”

“You need to rest,” Jacob insisted. “We can handle him for a few weeks. Besides, it’s not like we’re making it easy for him. Everyone’s pissed off because of what he did to you.”

“He hasn’t hurt anyone else, has he?”

“No,” he said firmly. “We won’t let him.”

“How are Brady and Collin?”

“They haven’t been introduced tot he pack yet. That’s one thing the elders are doing right,” he muttered under his breath. “They want to wait until you take over. They don’t trust Sam in his current state.”

Meadow pondered his answers before her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth to talk but was cut off when her throat hitched. She swallowed thickly before she tried again.

“Emily. Is she okay?” Meadow asked.

“She’s staying with Sue right now. When she heard what happened to you, she packed a bag and hasn’t been home since,” he explained. “Sam’s been trying to talk to her, but Sue’s been very protective of her.”

Meadow relaxed. She was nervous Sam would lash out. Although it was uncharacteristic of him to be angry with Emily, he was acting out of character; he was acting like a wounded animal being cornered. Lashing out at everyone and anyone, Sam seemed more wolf than human. It made Meadow anxious. 

“MeMe?” Jake addressed her nervously. Unconsciously, she had tilted her head to stare at the ceiling and stopped talking. At the sound of her name, she flitted her eyes to his. 

“I’m sorry for yelling at you, y’know, about the whole Bella situation. I didn’t mean it when I said you shouldn’t be Alpha. I was just upset,” Jacob apologized. Meadow stared hard at him. She knew he was sorry about the things he said, but she didn’t know if it was his guilt egging him on to apologize or if he actually understood how his words had affected her. Jake was one of her biggest supporters. Hearing him say had a bigger impact on her than she let on. 

“It’s not all guilt,” he said, sensing where her thoughts were leading. “I am actually sorry. I just - I really like Bella, and I don’t know if I’ll ever imprint on someone.”

“There are other girls, Jake,” Meadow said softly. “I know how much you like her, but she’s made her choice. She doesn’t want to be with you. Think about it. Accept it. Move on. That’s all you can do.”

“I just don’t want to lose her. I feel like she’s the last remnant of my life before the pack. My crush on her is the only thing that hasn’t changed since I changed,” he confessed.

“Not everything has changed since we first shifted,” she said. Jacob sighed and leaned in his chair so that his head laid on Meadow’s stomach. Meadow used her right hand to sift through his hair and comfort him. They stayed in the position for a while before there was a knock at the front door. Jake slowly moved to get the door. When he came back, Paul was walking behind him. 

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Jake muttered before he left them alone. Paul stared at Meadow with guilt and horror. Shifting slightly, the blanket around her moved, showing off her bandages. Meadow gestured to the seat once occupied by Jacob. Paul sat down and went to grab her left hand before he realized his mistake. Meadow held out her right hand and Paul immediately grabbed it and bowed his head. 

“I’m sorry,” Paul said quietly. His voice was watery and Meadow could see a tear roll down his cheek. “I should’ve protected you better.”

“It’s not your fault, Paul,” Meadow said softly.

“I should’ve known he would try something. He’s been so off lately. I just didn’t think he’d-”

Meadow shushed hum and squeezed his hand. Paul squeezed back and held onto her hand like it was a lifeline. 

“It’s only temporary,” she said.

“That’s not the point!” Paul yelled. He realized his mistake and apologized before saying, “When Sam pushed you, it was like everything moved in slow motion. I felt like I couldn’t run to you fast enough. Seeing you hurt - seeing you cry - hurts me, makes me cry, too. I don’t know what ‘d do without you.”

Meadow brought their intertwined hands to her chest and placed his hand over her heart. 

“I’m still here,” she said as she stared in his eyes. He stared for a moment before he nodded his head and accepted her words. He sniffled and quickly rubbed his eyes to remove the evidence of his tears. 

“I didn’t come here to cry,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Why did you come, then, if it wasn’t to cry?” Meadow asked with a laugh. At the sound of her laugh, Paul perked up and left the room to grab a bag. He pulled something out of the bag and presented it to her. In his hands was a box of chocolates. Meadow moved to sit up, and Paul jumped to help her. Once she was in a semi-comfortable position she reached for the box of chocolates. Paul opened them for her and watched her take a bite out of one filled with caramel.

“I remember you told me you like sweets, so I stopped by the store to get you these,” he explained.

“Thanks,” Meadow said around a mouth full of chocolate. Paul chuckled at her antics and grabbed one for himself. Meadow narrowed her eyes at him but let him take one.

“I thought these were for me?” she questioned.

“I bought them,” Paul said plainly. She giggled at his childish response. She grimaced when she felt her ribs ache from the jiggling movement of her laugh. Paul started worrying over her, but she waved him off.

“I also got this,” Paul said as he pulled something else out of the bag. A six-pack of Coke cans, two sandwiches, and a bag of plain chips entered her view. She stared dubiously at the items in his hands and quirked an eyebrow at him.

“You thought we should have a date while I’m still injured?” she asked. Paul stumbled over his words. He rubbed the back of his head and stared at the ground.

“You’re right. It was a stupid idea,” he mumbled angrily. He stood up so fast that it startled her. He turned towards the door but stopped when Meadow called out to him.

“I didn’t say I hated the idea,” she said. “It was just unexpected.”

Paul turned back towards her and settled back in his seat. He gave her a sheepish smile and said, “I figured you wouldn’t be doing much while you’re hurt, and I know how restless you can get sometimes.”

“I appreciate it. What kind of sandwiches did you get?”

“Jake said you like ham and turkey sandwiches, so I got both. I figured you could pick which one you wanted to eat and then I’d eat the other,” Paul responded.

“I’ll take turkey,” she said. Paul unwrapped the sandwich and handed it to her. He grabbed the ham sandwich and unwrapped it before taking a bite out of it. Finishing off her food, Meadow motioned for Paul to hand her a can of Coke. He cracked it open for her and handed it to her. Meadow was happy that she got to spend time with Paul. She missed hanging out with him and couldn’t wait until she was healed so they could sit on the beach and bask in each other’s presence. She was thankful the spirits gave her Paul. He was like a breath of fresh air in her life and she loved breathing him in. 

But she was concerned about him. He looked like he was okay, but there was something he was hiding. A hidden emotion that peeked its head out every so often as they talked. Once they polished off the family-sized bag of chips, Meadow finally asked him what was wrong.

“What’s wrong, Paul?” she asked. 

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong,” he denied.

“You once asked me to be open with you. Now, it’s your turn to be open with me.”

Paul sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. 

“I fought Sam,” he confessed. Meadow wasn’t surprised. Paul’s temper, although better, was still bad. 

“Did you get hurt?” she asked patiently.

“It’s not that I got hurt,” he said in frustration. “Sam’s helped me ever since I joined the pack. He’s been a great friend and said he’d always have my back, but he turns around and attacks you! He promised me he would never hurt you. He promised that no matter how frustrated with you he was, he wouldn’t lash out or take it personally. And he did!”

“I’m sorry I interfered with your friendship,” Meadow said genuinely. “I didn’t want to get in between the two of you.”

“It’s not your fault, Flower. I’m happy you went for it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The way you talk about the pack shows you really care about us. And the way your eyes shine when you talk about the pack....”

“I don’t want you to lose friendships over it, though,” she said wistfully.

“It would’ve happened sooner or later. Besides, I still have Jared.”

“How’s he taking it?”

“Jared’s mad, too. The way Sam’s treating him and everyone else is really straining their friendship. Jared tried talking to him - tried getting Sam to step down from the Alpha position voluntarily - but he won’t listen. It’s like talking to a cliff,” Paul said.

“I’ll help as soon as I can,” Meadow said determinedly.

“Relax,” he said with a small smile. “Just focus on healing first.”

Paul glanced at the clock on her nightstand and blew out a breath of air. 

“Patrol,” he explained after she gave him an inquisitive stare. He cleaned up the mess they had made from their little date and threw away the garbage. He gave her a kiss on the lips and promised to visit her as soon as he got off of patrol. Meadow glanced at the bandages littering the left side of her body and glared at them. She gritted her teeth and set her mouth into a fine line. She willed her body to heal faster; if not for her but for the pack. There were things she needed to do and she couldn’t do them if she was laying in bed. She couldn’t wait until she was fully healed. 

* * *

“How do you feel, Meadow?” Carlisle asked. He was visiting her for her weekly check-up. Meadow moved her arm around first, then twisted her body this way and that. Noticing there wasn’t any pain, she nodded at Carlisle and confirmed that she felt fine.

“Well, everything looks good. I would take it easy at first. You may shift into your wolf as much as you’d like now; however, it might hurt. The trauma your body endured may affect the way you phase. I’m not sure, though. As you’re aware, I’ve never had a patient like you,” he said, smiling at the end.

Meadow smiled back and thanked him for his service. She watched him leave before she walked through the house and out the back door. She immediately phased into her wolf and shut off her communication with the pack. She didn’t want anyone to know that she was better yet. She had some training to do. After sitting in bed for three weeks, she was restless and needed to gain back the strength she had during the newborn battle. She had an Alpha she needed to beat and she was determined to win.


	34. Chapter 34

Meadow woke up calm and serene. She got out of bed and stretched her muscles. Satisfying pops rang throughout the room and she groaned in satisfaction. She shook out her body and dressed in a pair of shorts and a plain shirt. She walked to the bathroom to do her business before she went to the kitchen. She got out a pan and cracked four eggs in it. She popped four pieces of bread in the toaster and stood by the stove to watch over the eggs.

Billy rolled into the room with a smile on his face. When he saw the tranquil look upon Meadow’s face, his smile fell and a serious expression overtook his features. He tried making coffee, but Meadow waved him off and started a pot for him. He stared at her with a knowing look and remained quiet until his coffee was done. By that time, Meadow was already seated at the table and eating her breakfast.

Billy grabbed the mug Meadow left for him on the counter and poured himself a cup of black coffee. He took a sip and allowed the bitter liquid to coat his throat before he addressed her.

“Remember what you’re fighting for. The rest shall come after,” Billy told her. Meadow finished eating and placed her plate and fork in the sink. She drank a cup of apple juice and left the house. She took off at a run and phased mid-run. She shook out her fur and searched for the minds she knew were linked to hers. She made sure to keep her mind closed-off and raced through the trees. She heard Seth, she heard, Embry, she heard Jacob, but, most of all, she heard Sam. She tuned into his mind and recognized his surroundings.

She wasn’t in a hurry to get to him, though. She knew all of it would be over soon. There was no need to rush. Two minutes later, Sam came into view. He was running his usual patrol route and his back was facing her. Meadow was steadfast in her decision and quickly opened her mind link to the rest of the pack.

_Sam,_ she said strongly. Startled, Sam turned around and got in a defensive position. He growled and bared his clenched teeth at her, telling her to back off. She stood her ground and stared evenly into his eyes.

_Leave, now!_ Sam growled out in a deafening tone.

_I won’t,_ Meadow said. _Your tyranny has run its course for far too long._

_What are you going to do about it?_ Sam asked menacingly. Meadow howled loudly to gain the attention of all the pack members. Jared, Leah, Paul, and Quil phased in and immediately began asking questions. There were two more shimmers in her mind. They were hesitant and unsure, leading her to believe they belonged to Brady and Collin.

_I, Meadow Black, challenge you, Sam Uley, for the Alpha position, for my birthright, and for the benefit of the pack,_ Meadow announced clearly and steadily. The pack howled and shouted in excitement and encouragement. Her eyes shone with determination and confidence, causing Sam to falter for a second before composing himself.

_I accept your challenge,_ Sam said, _because you’re just going to lose like the first time._

Meadow ignored his comment and replied with, _Let’s fight in the field we fought the newborns._

_You sure that’s a good idea?_ Sam asked rudely.

_It’ll give us enough room to fight and enough room for the pack to observe,_ she said. Then she turned and made her way to the field. She shut off her link to the pack and focused on running. She knew the pack was excited for a change in leadership, but she also knew they were scared for her. They didn’t want a repeat of what happened during the newborn battle. Their feelings were valid, but she didn’t want any doubt to linger in her mind.

She didn’t doubt herself.

A nudge on her left distracted her from her thoughts. She narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly who had nudged her, and let out a huff of warning. She was nudged again, this time harder than before. She rolled her eyes and looked at Paul. He was asking her a question with his eyes. She nodded her head and kept running.

They made it to the field, and Meadow took her place. She faced Sam and waited for the fight to begin. The pack made a loose circle around them and sat on their haunches. Sam stood opposite her with a snarling muzzle. Meadow waited with bated breath for Sam to make the first move. And he did.

_You think you can beat me? _Sam asked.

He rushed her head-on with ill intent. She dodged him and swiped a paw, making contact with his side. He roared in pain and anger and ran at her again. This time, he caught her as she dodged and dug his claws into her flesh. She hissed and thrashed to dislodge his nails. She was successful after three. She backed up and watched his every move. He was an impatient fight; he always wanted to get right to the point. She used it to her advantage. The next time he tried striking her, she ducked under her paw and used her snout to push him up and over her body. He fell on his back with a loud _thump_. She jumped on him before he could fully stand up on four legs and growled in his face. He pushed her off of him and attacked again.

_You think........want you.....Alpha?_

Sam’s voice entered and left her head. Her eyes widened at the distorted nature of his voice in her head. Her eyes widened when she realized what was happening. Meadow heard the pack making noises of encouragement. They were howling, growling, and barking at every move Sam and Meadow made. It was easy to block them out because they were already blocked out of her mind. However, hearing the way they cheered for her boosted her confidence.

She grinned wolfishly and charged Sam at the same time he charged her. They met in the middle of the circle. They grabbed onto each other and pushed with all their might. Knowing Sam was physically stronger than her, she bowed under his strength and rolled so that she was hovering over him. She bit into his neck and he yelped in pain. Refusing to yield, Sam pushed her off once more and started circling. He was huffing, his steps were wobbly, and blood coated the fur on his neck.

_............I’m.........._

She circled, as well, and kept an eye on his body language as her father’s words rang throughout her head.

* * *

_"Only Alphas can speak to one another when the mental block is up. However, the link isn’t like it is supposed to be. An Alpha must want to speak to the other Alpha, and vice versa, for it to work,” Billy said._

_“So, the Alpha being contacted must accept the other Alpha’s invitation to talk?” Meadow asked._

_“Precisely,” Billy confirmed. “This has been useful in the past when our brothers from the Makah tribe were able to phase.”_

_“Why don’t they phase anymore?” Meadow asked._

_“I am not sure,” he confessed. “The spirits’ ways are mysterious. It is best not to question them.”_

_“What happens when a new Alpha steps up? Does the old Alpha still have that power?”_

_“During a fight for the Alpha position, the two wolves fighting both hold that power. The voices of the other wolves in the pack are silenced, and only the voices of the two fighters ring clear. The winning wolf will retain that power, along with the position. During your fight, do not be surprised if Sam’s voice begins to fade from your mind. It is a sign that you are winning; it is a sign that the spirits have already chosen their victor.”_

_“Why didn’t this happen when I challenged him the first time?” she asked, confused._

_“It wasn’t an official match, You didn’t have permission from the council to do so, and from what Jacob has told me, the entire pack wasn’t there to witness it. Those are the conditions that need to be met to challenge an Alpha, along with the declaration of the challenge.”_

_“So, once his voice fades from my mind, I am declared the winner?”_

_“Yes. The fading of the voice is an indication the other is giving up; they are defeated. Whether they are consciously aware of it, or not, they are signaling to their opponent that they are overwhelmed and ready to submit.”_

* * *

Meadow charged him. She watched him try to side-step her, but his movements were sluggish and slow. She barrelled into him and stepped on all four of his paws. She felt her wolf grow in size as she towered over his writhing form. She moved her muzzle close to his face and snarled dangerously. Sam whined and a few seconds later, he bared his neck.

She was finally the Alpha.

She felt a surge of power flow through her, making her dizzy and giddy. It was one of the most intense feelings she had ever felt. She opened her mind and the flood of voices hit her at once. They were talking over each other, congratulating her and asking her if she was okay. But she was distracted by something. She felt.......off. Along with a surge of power, she felt something negative linger underneath it all. She was proud and immensely happy she had won, but there was also the sick sense of smugness lingering. She wanted to rub it in Sam’s face, she wanted to run him into the ground the same way he had done to her, she wanted to show him that she was Alpha now.

She couldn’t help but remember that stupid line every movie and show quoted: With great power comes great responsibility. She guessed it wasn’t so stupid anymore. She shoved those negative thoughts and feelings aside and focused all her energy on the positive. She was tackled from the side and yelped quietly at the suddenness.

_Congratulations, MeMe!_ Jake shouted.

_Get off of me,_ Meadow grunted.

_Congrats, MeMe!_ Quil shouted before she felt more weight hinder her movement. The rest of the pack dog-piled onto her, and despite her annoyance with her lack of movement, she laughed and playfully nipped at someone’s hind leg.

_Alright,_ Paul said from atop the pile, _let our Alpha up._

One at a time, they stood up and removed themselves from the pile. Once she was free, Meadow shook her fur out and smiled wolfishly. Leah bumped her and said, _Congrats on beating his royal asshole-ness. Wanna celebrate at my place?_

_We can,_ Meadow said. Then, she paused and looked at Sam and the two new wolves that stood apprehensively to the side. _But first, there are some things I need to take care of._

She walked up to Sam, and despite the voice in her head, she nudged him. He stared at her in bewilderment before he understood what she was doing. He stood up and staggered a bit before stabilizing.

_You’ve done a lot of malicious things to this pack, Sam,_ Meadow started. _Do you acknowledge your wrongdoings?_

_I never meant to hurt you, Meadow, _Sam said quietly. _You must understand, the voice-_

_Do you acknowledge your wrongdoings?_ she asked once more.

Sam hung his head and said, _I do._

_As Alpha, I have the power to punish you. I decided long before this fight occurred what punishment I would give you._

_Meadow, you have to understand!_ Sam shouted. _I did feel threatened by you, but I would never intentionally hurt another person. The influence of that voice is too strong._

_You were never meant to be Alpha, _Meadow stated. _It wasn’t your power to hold, and so you crumbled under its pressure. But that does not excuse your actions._

_You can’t exile me! What about Emily?_ Sam asked, scared of the punishment she would give him.

_But I can. I am temporarily banishing you from the reservation. You will not step foot on this land and you will not come near this land if you wish to avoid further punishment. After a month’s time, I will allow you back on the reservation,_ Meadow declared. There were whispers from the rest of the pack, but no one spoke against her. Jared’s voice was the most hesitant of the bunch, but he refused to speak out.

_You’re banishing me from my home? From my imprint?_ Sam asked, trying to find sympathy.

_You weren’t concerned about imprints when you attacked me,_ Meadow reminded him. _I understand what it’s like to be alone, to feel alone. I won’t put you through everything I once felt. You will be allowed to communicate with the pack, if only to allow you to make your peace with the rest of them, to apologize and ask for forgiveness._

_But Emily-_

_Emily will be taken care of by us, by her family. You have an hour to say goodbye to her and collect anything you want to take with you,_ she said with finality. Sam ran off quickly. Meadow turned to the two new wolves and approached them.

_Brady, _she addressed the gray wolf with brown spots on his forehead and sides.

_Collin, _she addressed the ashy, light brown wolf with a dark brown face and paws.

_Meadow, _Collin said, addressing his cousin. _Congrats on becoming the new Alpha._

_Thank you. The Elders let you come?_ she questioned. Brady and Collin eagerly nodded their heads.

_They said it was important not to ignore your howl,_ Collin explained.

_You’ve been away from the pack, haven’t you? It’s time to get you acquainted,_ Meadow said. _We’ll have a bonfire tonight on the beach. I’m sure Emily could use the friendly atmosphere and it’ll be the perfect time for Brady and Collin to reacquaint themselves with the legends._

_I’ll let dad know,_ Jake said before he ran off.

_Me and Quil will come with you,_ Embry said.

_I’ll let Emily know. I’m sure she could use cooking as a distraction,_ Leah informed her. She, too, ran off.

_Let Sam have his time with Emily first,_ Meadow warned. Leah rolled her eyes and let out a bark.

_Seth, take Brady and Collin home, please, _Meadow ordered.

_Roger, _Seth said. _C’mon, guys!_

_Jared, Paul,_ Meadow said, gaining their attention. _You should say goodbye to Sam. I know you’ll still be able to talk to him, but it's different than seeing him in person._

_I’m good,_ Paul said quickly. Meadow glared at him and hit him lightly with her paw.

_I know he’s still your friend. You, too, Jared,_ she said as she noticed his silence. _Go see him off. You’ll regret it if you don’t._

Once they left the field, Meadow laid down and let out a breath. She did it. She reached her goal. One down, two to go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole “voice” thing will be explained before the book is over. I promise. I didn’t just throw it in there to scapegoat Sam.
> 
> *EDIT - Additional Note*
> 
> It has come to my attention that someone on Fanfiction.net has been taking things from my The Right Swan story and incorporating it into theirs (dialogue, description, thoughts, personal life, etc.). If you see anything like this, please inform me about it and I will take care of it. I don't want the author to get any hate. Kindly point it out to the author and message me. 
> 
> Plagiarism and copying are very disrespectful, even with fanfiction. Although we use aspects from the original story/series, we incorporate our own, original spin on it. Unrecognizable words, dialogue, description, plot, etc from this story are mine. Please !! do not take original work from me. 
> 
> Stay healthy and stay safe, everyone!
> 
> #BLM


	35. Chapter 35

“Alright,” Meadow said nervously. Standing in front of her was the entire pack, including Brady and Collin. They were in Emily’s backyard and the sounds of cooking drifted from the open kitchen window. The pack had decided not to change their meet-up place for their sakes and Emily’s. They wanted to keep an eye on Emily, too, and try to ease the pain they knew she felt from the absence of Sam. 

“The bonfire last night was fun, but there are some things we need to talk about,” she said.

“What’s up, MeMe?” Quil asked curiously. 

“I want to change some of the ways the pack is run,” she confessed. Jared groaned and threw his hands in the air.

“I thought the last time I’d have to memorize stuff would be in high school,” he complained. Paul laughed at him and clapped him on the back.

“C’mon, Jared. I’m sure there’s still room in that small brain of yours,” Paul joked. Jared shrugged him off and glared at him. He mumbled and crossed his arms, refusing to look at anyone.

“It’s nothing big, I promise,” Meadow said to get them back on track. “Just some things I noticed that weren’t working.”

“Shoot,” Embry said.

“Patrol is the first thing. The routes are fine as they are, but the schedule and the way new members are introduced to patrol need to be changed,” she said. “I was confused when the routes were explained to me, and I think that is dangerous, especially with vampires running around. So, I’ve decided to implement a shadowing program. New wolves will shadow experienced wolves to get a handle on patrol without the pressure of getting it right the first time.”

“So we have to play babysitter?” Paul complained.

“Think of it as bonding. Besides, you won’t be helping any of the new members,” Jacob said with a smirk.

“Knowing Paul, the new recruit would cry within the first hour,” Embry joked.

“Like you’re any better,” Paul snarled, upset they were picking on him.

“Enough,” Meadow said steadily. “I will be picking who shadows who based on who they will benefit best from. Brady will shadow Leah and Collin will shadow Embry. Any complaints?”

When no one said anything, she continued by saying, “I know that some of you are still in school or have other obligations, and I don’t want the pack to become your whole life. Those without serious obligations will run patrol more than those who do. I don’t want to seem unfair, but I won’t allow someone in middle school to run hours of patrol at night.”

“I’m fine with that,” Jared said with a shrug.

“Doesn’t bother me,” Leah said. “Just don’t run me into the ground.”

“Okay,” Meadow said, letting out a breath of relief. She thought they would protest more, so she was relieved when they didn’t. “Brady and Collin will only be patrolling on the weekends. Seth, Embry, Quil, and Jacob will be patrolling weekends and a handful of hours on weekdays. Everyone else runs patrols daily.”

“We’re getting breaks on the weekend, right?” Leah asked. “Since we’ll be running patrols the most,” she said, referring to the wolves who were out of school, “we deserve less time on the weekends.”

“Of course,” Meadow said. “I also talked to the Elders and they agreed to increase the allowance pack members to more livable standards.”

“Sweet!” Quil cheered. “This just means we get to buy more food,” he whispered to Seth. Seth grinned and pumped his fists in excitement whole Quil bumped his fists with Jake and Embry. However, they stopped when Meadow leveled them with a stare and a raised eyebrow.

“Only those out of school will have their allowance raised,” she clarified. Groans came from the four boys and they started to sulk in their spots. Brady and Collin snickered but stopped when Jake hit them over the head.

“Better be careful,” Jake muttered. “We’re the only friends you’re going to have for a while.”

“The Elders mentioned that,” Collin muttered with a frown.

“While the Elders recommend that,” Meadow said, “that’s not true. One of the things I didn’t like about phasing was that I had to cut ties with those I usually talked to. It caused Quil pain, and it caused Jake and Embry pain. It isn’t necessary to cut people completely out of our lives to protect the reservation. As long as you don’t mention the pack or your duty, you can keep your friends.”

“What if they let it slip?” Leah asked. “They’re still in middle school and, if you haven’t noticed, they’re still immature.”

“There will be consequences. There always have been,” Meadow responded.

“But what if something does happen? What if someone sees something they shouldn’t?” Jared asked. 

“Then we’ll address it when it occurs. I don’t want the pack to be your life if you don’t want it to be. All of us were brought into this without a choice, and I don’t want to take any more of your choices away,” Meadow answered passionately. “One day, we’ll stop phasing. One day, it won’t be our duty to protect the reservation. Some of us will give up phasing earlier than others, some of us will continue phasing, but one day, we will stop. We’ll have all the time to do everything we always wanted to do. So, don’t make being a shifter your entire identity.”

It was quiet as the pack mulled over her words. Meadow gauged their reactions, trying to find any complaints or negative reactions. She was nervous to tell them not to make the pack their life. She didn’t want them to misunderstand and think she didn’t want them there. She did. She just knew how hard shifting was on everyone’s lives. It took opportunities away from them, love, and youth. She didn’t want past mistakes to happen again.

“I think I can handle it,” Seth spoke up. “I mean, it has been pretty crappy not being able to talk to my other friends.”

“You trying to tell us something?” Paul asked playfully.

“You guys are great!” Seth exclaimed. “I just-”

“Relax. He’s just messing around,” Jake said with a roll of his eyes. 

“I think it’ll be nice talking to some old friends,” Jared confessed. “There’s a few I’ve been thinking about lately.”

“More time away from this ragtag group,” Leah joked with a side smirk. 

“Alright! Are we done now? I can smell Emily’s brownies from here,” Embry said with a gluttonous look in his eyes. 

“One more thing,” Meadow said, causing him to groan. “Jared has stepped down from the Beta position.”

“Seriously?” Paul asked. “Are you sure?”

“It wouldn’t feel the same without Sam as Alpha. I think it’s great that Meadow is stepping up, but I feel like I’m betraying Sam every time I think about keeping the position,” Jared explained. He rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable from the looks he was receiving.

“The Beta is second in command, right?” Brady asked.

“Right,” Meadow said. “Jake agreed to become Beta.”

There were whoops of happiness and encouragement, and Quil and Embry clapped Jacob on the back. While the boys surrounded Jake, Leah walked up to Meadow and nudged her with her elbow. Her arms were crossed and a sour look was on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Meadow asked.

“I figured you would ask me,” Leah grumbled. Meadow’s eyes softened. She placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her so she was facing her.

“I’m not picking him over you,” Meadow reassured her. “You’ve got a lot of things you want out of life. I didn’t want to tie you down to the pack.”

Leah scoffed, then huffed. 

“Thanks, I guess,” Leah said appreciatively.

After hanging out with the pack and running patrol, Meadow walked into her house just after the sky darkened. She sighed and ran a hand threw her black locks. She’d need to cut them again soon. Jake was running patrol and her dad had gone to Charlie’s, so she was the only one home. She walked into the bathroom and quickly showered off the dirt and grime that accumulated throughout the day. She was drying out her hair when she heard the front door open.

“Meadow, Jake, are you home?” Billy asked. Meadow walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.

“Jake’s on patrol,” she informed him. He made his way over to the couch and settled himself to watch TV. He reached for the remote, but Meadow took it before he could. He gazed at her curiously while she placed the remote on the side table. 

“What is on your mind?” he asked.

“The day I became Alpha, I heard a voice in my head,” she started. She didn’t have to say much as her father already had a knowing look upon his face. 

“You know what it is,” she stated.

“I do. Sam had some.....problems with it and had come to the Elders multiple times,” Billy confessed. “We were worried it would overtake him. Judging by his recent actions, it did.”

“You knew and you didn’t help him?” Meadow asked incredulously.

Billy shook his head and said, “We couldn’t. It is up to the Alpha to overcome the voice.”

“What is it? Why is it in my head?”

“We do not know where the voice came from or why it only plagues the mind of the Alpha. We can only guess as to its origins. There are notes and entries from your great-grandfather. He dealt with the voice, as well. He documented that he was able to overcome the voice quickly. That leads us to believe that only the Alpha can withstand the power of it.”

“But what is the point of it? What is its purpose?” she asked frustratedly.

“Like with all good things, bad things are present. Shifting comes with complications. Your great-grandfather believed that the power that comes with being an Alpha is so great that the animal qualities that come with shifting increased to compensate for it. The voice, he believed, is the Alpha’s wolf counterpart,” Billy explained. 

“So, as Alpha, my wolf is closest to the spirit of actual wolves?” she asked.

“Yes. And as such, you are most susceptible to the dangers of shifting. Everything about an Alpha, every aspect of the position, is dangerous. The ability to shut out the pack, to communicate with other Alphas, to make pack members do your every command, it’s all dangerous not only to the enemy but to the pack, as well,” he said. He was serious as he explained it, making sure she understood the dangers of the voice. 

“Is that why the council pressured Jake so much to take the role?”

“Yes. We saw the signs that Sam was not taking well to the voice and thought a rightful Alpha, a Black, needed to take over the pack.”

Meadow contemplated his answers for a moment before she asked one final question.

“How will I know it’s gone?”

“It will never go away, Meadow, but it can be suppressed. As long as you don’t let the power go to your head, you will be fine,” he said, ending with a smile. Meadow nodded her head and excused herself. She left the house and shifted. There was a lot on her mind and nothing was better than running to clear your head. She greeted Jake and Paul and started running with no destination in mind. Apparently, her spirit knew where it wanted to go. A few minutes later, she found herself running next to Paul.

_Something up?_ Paul asked. Meadow sighed and started shaking her head and closing off her thoughts before she realized what she was doing. She shook her fur out and told him what her dad had told her.

_So that’s why Sam was acting so crazy_, Paul mused.

_You’re worried it’ll affect you, too_, Jake deduced. 

_You won’t_, Paul assured her.

_But what if I do? I’ll be no better than Sam,_ she said distressed.

_You’re strong, Flower_, Paul said softly. _I’ve never met anyone stronger than you._

_Yeah, MeMe,_ Jacob input._ Besides, you have the whole pack to lean on now. We got your backs just like you have ours._

Meadow started tearing up. She couldn’t hide it because her paws were occupied with moving her body, so fat tears rolled down her face. She sniffed and a sob left her snout. It sounded more like a gargle than a sob, but it caught Paul’s attention nonetheless. He bumped her and gave her a wolfish smile. A laugh slipped through, causing her to bark shortly. She was very thankful for their words and the way the pack accepted her. She never thought she would have people to support her or to lean on. She had felt so alone for so long that support like theirs was foreign. She was happy and wished she felt that happiness forever.


	36. Chapter 36

Meadow was just getting off from patrol when Paul stopped by her house. She was a bit annoyed, seeing as how she wanted to sit down and relax for a little bit, but she was happy to see him. She’d been so busy meeting with the Elders and figuring out the patrol schedule that she hadn’t gotten a chance to see him in a few days. He was wearing a black tank top and a pair of swim trunks. Hanging from his wrist was a bag filled with what she assumed was beach towels.

She gave him a look and walked into the house. He made a noise of indignation and followed her. Meadow heard the door slam shut behind her and sighed. She turned to him and said, “I just got off of patrol. Give me half an hour to rest and get ready.”

“Take all the time you need,” Paul said. He set the bag down in the hallway and walked into the living room to sit on the couch. Meadow quickly washed up in the bathroom before she sat on the couch next to him. She curled her legs underneath her body and leaned against him. He threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

The TV was on and showing the news. Meadow mused her dad must have left recently. Neither one of them attempted to change the channel. Instead, they basked in the comfortable atmosphere and each other’s presence. After 10 minutes passed, Meadow got up to change into a red bikini with flowers on it. Leah made her buy it during one of their rare shopping trips to Port Angeles.

She looked through her clothes for a cover-up and found an old maxi dress from middle school. Thankfully, it still fit due to its stretchiness; however, it was short and ended a few inches below her butt. She shrugged and kept it on.

“Did you pack any food or drinks?” she asked as she entered the kitchen.

“Um...,” she heard Paul say.

“It’s a wonder how you did,” Meadow said sarcastically.

“I wanted to catch you before you fell asleep,” he whined. She shook her head and made them sandwiches. She packed away some fruit, grabbed a bag of barbeque chips for Paul, and the rest of the 6-pack of Coke bottles in the fridge. After stuffing the items in her own beach bag, she stepped into the living room and asked him if he was ready to go.

Paul stared at her in silence before he stood up and approached her. He slipped his hands over her waist and pulled her closer to him so he could give her a searing kiss. Meadow smiled into the kiss and pushed him away. He groaned and kissed her again. When she pushed him away once more, he sucked his teeth playfully and pouted.

“Don’t you have patrol in a few hours?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I think we can put aside some time,” Paul said lustfully.

“Not interested,” Meadow said shortly. “Let’s go before I change my mind and go to sleep.”

They left the house and started their trek to the beach. They walked side-by-side and their hands brushed every time their arms swung. Meadow grabbed his hand in hers and swung their arms back and forth. Paul smiled down at her and helped her swing their arms.

The beach came into view and, surprisingly, there weren’t many people there. It was a nice day and the temperature was pretty high for a spring day. They laid out the towels and undressed so they were in their bathing suits. Although she’d rather sit on the beach towel and watch the waves, Paul was adamant she swim with him. She gave in and followed him into the cold water. It was freezing, but her high-running temperature made it so she barely felt it.

Meadow floated in the water and allowed the sun’s rays to penetrate her skin. She basked in the calmness of the ocean and the weightless, relaxed feeling. Running a pack was no joke. There were so many responsibilities she had now, and while she was used to carrying responsibility on her shoulders, the expectations the Elders had were huge. She breathed in the salty air and exhaled happily.

Suddenly, she was pushed and fell into the water. She surfaced with a glare aimed directly at her boyfriend. He laughed at the water dripping down her face and was so distracted by his laughter that he didn’t see Meadow jump towards him. She grabbed him by the shoulders and jumped on him, dunking him under the water. When Paul surfaced, he sputtered out water and smirked at her. He picked her up and threw her some feet away. She giggled at the funny feeling in her stomach before she hit the water.

Paul swam towards her and chuckled at the state of disarray her hair was in. He smoothed her hair out and stared into her eyes. Meadow got lost in his gaze and leaned forward to kiss him. Just as her lips brushed against hers, Paul pulled back and said, “Let’s go cliff diving.”

“Negative,” Meadow said quickly as she pulled away from him. She tried swimming away from him, but she caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist to confine her.

“C’mon,” Paul whined. “Just one jump.”

“No,” she said as she struggled against him. It was all for naught as Paul picked her up bridal style and carried her out of the water. The entire time Paul carried her, Meadow complained half-heartedly. Paul set her down when they got to the top and excitedly pulled her to the edge. Meadow looked down and gulped. She backed away and bumped into Paul’s chest.

“One jump,” he said as he stuck up his index finger. Meadow sighed and looked over the edge one more time before she conceded. Paul whooped and picked Meadow up once more.

“What are you doing?” she asked incredulously.

“I don’t trust you enough to jump on your own, so we’re jumping together,” he explained. He took five steps back and readied himself to run and jump. Anticipation, adrenaline, and anxiousness nipped at Meadow and she hid her face in the crook of his neck.

“I change my mind,” she said fearfully.

“Too late,” Paul said. He ran forward and jumped off the cliff. Meadow let out a shriek just as she felt air rush around her. She clamped her lips tightly together and closed her eyes. They hit the water hard and little stings bit at her skin. Paul let go of her as soon as they hit the water so she was free to swim to the surface. She gasped for breath and pushed wet hair out of her face.

“Exhilarating, isn’t it?” Paul asked. His eyes were wide and his mouth was pulled into a huge, toothy smile. Meadow shook her head and laughed disbelievingly.

“That was crazy,” she said breathlessly. She shook her head again and said, “Let’s go again.”

When they were tired of jumping, they took a break to eat. Paul pooped open the bag of chips while Meadow cracked open a Coke. Sand stuck to her body and she used every ounce of willpower not to scratch it off herself. Paul handed her a chip, which she took gratefully.

“I haven’t heard much from Sam lately,” Paul said. “I’m worried about him.”

“He’s probably just taking time to reflect,” Meadow mused.

“He comes back in a week,” Paul reminded her.

“I know. Emily’s been especially anxious lately.”

“What will you do when he comes back?” Paul asked.

“Treat him like the rest of the pack. I won’t hold a grudge against him,” she said.

“I’m surprised you’re not angrier,” Paul said. “You remember that time you confronted me, Jared, and Sam when Embry first phased?”

Meadow giggled and hummed.

“I had a lot of pent up emotions,” she defended herself.

“Hey.”

Meadow and Paul swiveled their heads to the source of the voice. Jacob stood behind them with his fist clenched around a small piece of paper.

“Did you know about this?” he asked angrily. Meadow looked at him in confusion and held out her hand for the paper. Jake handed it to her and crossed his arms impatiently. Meadow smoothed it out and skimmed over its contents. Bella and Edward were getting married.

“I wasn’t aware,” she said absentmindedly. She, of course, knew the implications of the wedding. Bella would be turned either directly after the wedding or shortly after. Either way, Bella would be a vampire soon and the Cullens would breach the treaty. Meadow didn’t want to fight them, but she had a problem with the way they treated their agreement. She knew the Elders and weren’t going to be happy, though. She frowned and passed the paper to Paul.

“Are you going to do something about it?” Jake asked.

“No, I don’t think I will,” she answered calmly.

“What? Why not? You know what they’re going to do to her!” Jake yelled.

“She’s chosen her future, Jake,” Meadow said sternly. “She’s made up her mind and so have I.”

“She’s not sure what she wants! Before the battle, she-”

“She manipulated you. She wanted you to stay with her so you wouldn’t be in harm’s way. It was nothing more,” Meadow said. “I saw the way she acted through your memories, Jake. The whole pack did! It was a lapse of judgment on her part, but don’t take her words to heart. Please, Jake.”

“I agree with Meadow on this one,” Paul said. He rubbed the back of his head aggressively and sighed. “We’ve been through a lot in the past couple of weeks. I think this is one fight we don’t need right now.”

Jacob fisted his hands in his hair and groaned in frustration.

“You have an obligation to this pack now,” Meadow said. “Keep the pack’s best interest in mind when you decide what you want to do.”

He sighed and sat down next to her in the sand. He sat slouched over his knees with his face covered by his arms. She placed a hand on his shaking shoulders and rubbed his back comfortingly. She looked at Paul and tilted her head. He got the message and stood up. He leaned down to kiss her on the lips and left so the siblings could talk.

“Why does she want to be one of _them_ so badly,” Jake whispered. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“She loves Edward. She’s following her heart. I don’t blame her,” Meadow said. Jake scoffed but stayed silent. Meadow took that as her cue to keep talking. “The feeling of love is one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced. It’s addicting at first, kind of like a drug, and then it’s calming. I feet at peace when I’m with Paul - like I could do anything. Whether it’s facing my fears or being lazy for a day, I feel comfortable and safe enough to do so. I know you haven’t experienced it yet, but no one wants to let a love like that go.”

“I could’ve given her that,” he said through tears. “I could have given that to her and more.”

“No, you couldn’t. She doesn’t love you enough. She deserves better than settling. And you deserve better than what she’s willing to give you,” Meadow said earnestly.

Jacob collected himself and reluctantly said, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she said.

Jake shook his head and said, “No, you don’t understand. I was going to... I was going to run off.”

“Over Bella?” Meadow asked indignantly. “Are you out of your mind?”

“I know, I know. I was being stupid. I just thought that all that running would help me clear my mind - get her out of my head,” he said ashamedly.

“Don’t worry, Jake. I have a plan to help you out,” Meadow reassured him.

“You do?” he asked dubiously.

“I’m not going to let them break the treaty without consequences. I won’t pick a fight with them, but I will be giving them an ultimatum. I’ll go over there soon and talk to them about it.”


	37. Chapter 37

The Cullen house was as pristine as ever. Not wanting to show up without notice, Meadow had called Carlisle a few days prior to let him and the rest of the Cullens know she and Jake were coming over to discuss the treaty. As always, Carlisle was waiting for her to approach the front door to hold the door open for her. She thanked him and walked in with Jake on her tail. She already knew her way around the house, so she made her way confidently to the living room and waited for everyone to show up.

Jake settled on standing behind her while she sat on the couch. A minute later, the Cullens and Bella entered the living room and found spots to sit or stand in during the discussion. Bella smiled at Jake, but he avoided her gaze.

“I understand you wanted to discuss the treaty,” Carlisle said. His tone was polite yet wary.

“Yes,” Meadow said. “We got your wedding invitation. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Edward murmured quietly.

“Your wedding implies that you will be turning Bella. Is this correct?” she asked.

“We have all agreed it would be best for Bella and our family if she were turned,” Carlisle confirmed.

“Then, I should remind you of the treaty.”

“We don’t want any trouble,” Esme said carefully. “We just want Edward to be happy.”

“I understand. However, the treaty states that if any of you were to bite a human, our agreement is void,” Meadow reminded them. “When you turn Bella, you will be breaking the treaty, and our agreement to remain passive will end.”

“What, so, you’ll go after them?” Bella asked incredulously. “Jake, you can’t let that happen.”

“As of a while ago, I am Alpha,” Meadow said pridefully. “Jake may be my Beta, but it is ultimately up to me whether or not the pack dishes out punishment.”

“What are you suggesting, mutt?” Rosalie asked with narrowed eyes.

“We have a proposition for you,” Jake informed them. “It involves keeping both parties from fighting.”

“Please,” Carlisle said, gesturing for Meadow and Jake to continue explaining.

“You may turn Bella, but you can’t turn her in Forks. Furthermore, you have to leave the area before you do so. After what the pack has witnessed newborns can do, we have unanimously agreed we do not want any more running around,” Meadow told them.

“We can do that. It’s about time we left town, anyway,” Emmett said.

“What about Charlie?” Bella asked. “I can’t just leave him.”

“That’s not our problem,” Meadow said.

“Maybe we could have more time?” Edward suggested. “Or we could be allowed to come back once Bella has her thirst under control?”

“Your wedding isn’t until the second week of August. You still have three weeks,” Jacob said.

“Thank you. We’ll take your words into consideration,” Carlisle said.

“There is no considering this,” Meadow said sternly. “In actuality, we aren’t giving you a choice. You either leave civilly or we make you leave the hard way.”

“We own this property,” Rosalie sneered. “Legally, you can’t make us do anything.”

“We’ll be back, Rose,” Alice reassured her. “We always come back.”

“That’s the other thing,” Jacob said.

“You aren’t allowed back in Forks once you leave,” Meadow informed them. The Cullens protested heavily. Jacob looked to Meadow to see how she would react, but she remained passive. They could protest all they wanted, but she wasn’t going to change her mind. She spoke to the pack and to the Elders for the best course of action, and this was it.

“You can’t barre us from the town,” Jasper said in a dangerously calm voice.

“This is our home, too!” Alice exclaimed.

“You and your family have brought enough to Forks and La Push,” Meadow said. “I won’t allow you to bring anything else here.”

“We didn’t bring anything to La Push,” Jasper argued. “No damage or harm has come to the reservation.”

Madow grew angry at the tone she was being dealt with and the words Edward was speaking. They acted innocent yet they weren’t. They had no idea what is what like to be a protector of the reservation. The voice surfaced in her mind and pushed her to act violently, but she pushed it down and reminded herself that harming the Cullens could start a fight she didn’t want to start. So instead, she told them how she really felt.

“No damage or harm has come to the reservation?” she repeated. “Why don’t you say that to Brady and Collin, two thirteen-year-olds who now have more responsibility than their peers will ever have. Try explaining to them that you have done nothing when they are ostracized by their classmates and family, and can’t keep any friends other than the ones they made in the pack because others are afraid of them due to their new reputation.

Try telling Seth and Leah that when their father died because of Victoria. Try telling that to the entire pack when none of them were given a choice in the matter. Shifting - protecting our loved ones - is satisfying, but it doesn’t allow you much in life.”

“We didn’t cause any of that to happen,” Edward argued. “Victoria was the one who caused everything to happen.”

“Maybe not directly,” Meadow said with a shake of her head, “but you brought her here. You brought that newborn army here. You moved here three years ago and caused the first wolf pack since my great-grandfather’s time to shift. You attract vampires because that’s what you are, and everyone else is affected because of it.”

“We didn’t know you felt that way,” Esme said sadly.

“I’m sure you had some semblance of the things we go through,” Meadow said dismissively.

“Biting Bella and turning her is against the treaty. Once that happens, the treaty is void,” Jake echoed Meadow. “If you come back to town, we will treat you like every other bloodsucker.”

“If you’re lucky, there won’t be a pack the next time you come back. But that doesn’t guarantee your safety. A reminder of your actions will take the treaty’s place, and once you return, someone on the reservation will shift and they will be speaking to you,” Meadow warned them.

“We understand,” Carlisle said with a grimace.

“Good. We’ll see you at the wedding,” she said before she stood up to leave.

“Jake, please don’t do this,” Bella begged,

Jacob sighed and said, “I’m sorry, Bella. I promised to look out for the pack and keep the reservation safe.”

“I won’t hurt anyone when I turn,” she said. “Edward won’t let me hurt anyone.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “I have to go.”

The siblings left the eerily quiet house and shifted to run back to the reservation.

_What did they say?_ Seth asked. Meadow played the encounter back for him, Embry, and Collin.

_Thanks for sticking up for us. _Collin said sincerely. _Brady still tries to talk to our old friends, but they don’t want anything to do with us._

_The pack will take care of you,_ Seth said. _They’ve become my friends and my family._

_Yeah, we got your back,_ Embry butt-in.

_I thought you all were intimidating, but you’re nicer than most people I know,_ Collin confessed.

_You don’t think we’re intimidating anymore?_ Embry asked mischievously. _I think we need to fix that._

_Knock it off you two,_ Meadow said with a smiling voice. _You’re on patrol. Act like it._

_Yes, ma’am, _Embry mocked her playfully. She scowled and ignored the rest of his banter with Collin.

_You doing okay, Jake?_ Seth asked.

_Yeah. It’s hard turning my back on her,_ Jake said. _After the wedding, I won’t see her anymore._

_That’s gotta be tough,_ Seth said. When Jake snorted, Seth backtracked and said, _I’ve never experienced it so I don’t know what to say._

_It’s all good,_ Jake said.

_Hey, maybe you’ll imprint like Jared, Paul, Sam, and Meadow,_ Seth suggested.

_The Elders said imprinting is supposed to be rare. I doubt I’ll imprint on anyone,_ Jake said.

_If it’s so rare, why did almost half the pack imprint?_ Seth questioned.

_He has a point,_ Meadow said. _The Elders don’t really know what they’re talking about most of the time. Heads up! The road’s up ahead._

_You don’t need to remind me,_ Jake said with a roll of his eyes. _Anyway, I’m sure if half the pack has imprinted already, the other half won’t._

_Stop being so pessimistic, Jake,_ Meadow sighed out. _You never know-. Jake, watch out!_

A car came speeding towards them and hit Jake head-on. He whined in pain and laid on the road. Meadow watched from the treeline, anxious to help but too nervous to reveal herself. She didn’t want a repeat of earlier in the year when the police hunted the pack. A girl stepped out of the car and ran towards Jake. She poked Jake, screamed, and jumped back when he started getting up.

“I’m so sorry,” the girl said. She was average height with long, dark-brown hair and russet skin. Meadow didn’t recognize her, but the girl was clearly of Quileute descent.

“You came out of nowhere and I was moving too fast to stop and...,” the girl rambled on and on and paid no attention to her surroundings.

_Jake, are you okay?_ Meadow asked. _Do you need any help?_

_I’m fine, just a bit shook,_ he groaned out. He stood on all four legs and shook his fur out. _Is she still talking?_

_She’s been at it for a while,_ Meadow told him. Jake nudged his nose against her, causing her to stop rambling and look into his eyes. He froze and a thousand scenarios and thoughts ran through his head. Meadow gaped at what she was seeing and was glued to her spot.

_I told him he would imprint,_ Seth said smugly.

_Not another one,_ Embry complained. Jake shook his head to clear his mind, but every time he did, his thoughts filled back up with the girl in front of him. Meadow knew he wouldn’t move by himself, and judging by the dumbstruck expression on the girl’s face, the girl wasn’t going to move either. Meadow walked out of the shadows and nudged Jake hard. He broke out of his trance and stared wide-eyed at Meadow.

_Congrats. Now, let’s go,_ Meadow said as she continuously pushed him along. _We can’t stay out in the open for long._

“Oh, there’s another one,” the girl said absentmindedly, gaining their attention.

_We’ll figure out who she is later,_ Meadow said.

_But what if she’s just passing through?_ Jake asked.

_She’s got boxes in the back seat of her car. A lot of them. My guess is that she’s moving in somewhere close. We can ask the Elders is anyone new is moving onto the reservation. You’ll see her again, so let’s go,_ she said before running off. Jake took one last look at the girl before he followed Meadow’s lead.

_5 out of 11,_ Seth said whimsically.

_Shut up,_ Jake mumbled.

* * *

Meadow was running patrol by herself; Leah had to go with Sue somewhere and Quil had to help his grandpa with something. It was quiet most days since the newborn attack and she couldn’t be more thankful. She felt a shimmer in her mind and wondered if Leah or Quil had finished with their errands.

_It’s just me,_ Sam said quietly. Meadow was shocked to hear from him but didn’t say anything.

_I’ve been meaning to talk to you,_ he said.

_About what?_ she asked cautiously.

_I want to apologize again,_ Sam said. _Not just for the newborn battle but for everything I’ve done since you first phased. I never thought you were ready for any of this. When the Elders first told me they suspected you were going to phase, I didn’t want to believe them. You were such a recluse and guarded. I didn’t think you would fit in with the pack or be comfortable enough to be a part of the pack._

_I’ve doubted you since the beginning. I doubted your abilities, your thinking, your actions. I was hard on you for no reason other than I thought you couldn’t do it. When you first challenged me to the Alpha position, I was upset and angry. The voice made it much worse, but I was angry on my own. I couldn’t help but feel betrayed that you thought I couldn’t lead the pack._

_I understand your reasons now, but at the time, I couldn’t see past my anger. I was unfair to you and treated you differently than the others. I didn’t put my trust in you like I did the others and I abused my power to silence you and the rest of the pack. I’ve seen the way you’ve been running the pack and I’m impressed. I was wrong about you. I am truly sorry, Meadow._

_I accept your apology, Sam,_ Meadow said. _I’ve had a month to think about everything leading up to becoming the Alpha and I’m tired of all the negativity and tension._

_Thank you, Meadow. I promise to interfere when I come back._

_You can interfere when you need to. I’ve already told the pack that I don’t want anyone to be scared to voice their opinion and disagree with me._

Sam sighed and said, _I can’t wait to come home._

_Then don’t wait,_ Meadow said. _Come home._

A day later, Meadow stood outside of Emily’s house with Emily and the rest of the pack. They heard a slight rustling of the trees and a man stepped out from behind them a moment later. Sam looked the same except he looked more tired and rugged. His hair was longer than it normally was and was slightly shaggy. His mustache and goatee had grown out and his jean shorts were spotted with dirt and mud.

Emily took a step forward and greeted Sam with a hug. She cried into his chest and he engulfed her with his arms, murmuring to her and reassuring her. Emily stayed glued to his side as Sam walked to greet the pack. He held out a hand for Meadow to shake. She accepted his offer of reconciliation and shook his hand.

“Glad you’re back,” Meadow said earnestly.

“I’m glad to be back,” Sam said.

“You missed so much, dude,” Jared said, excited to have his friend back. “Jacob imprinted!”

Jacob scowled and said, “Why is that the first thing you tell him?”

Sam chuckled and said, “Welcome to the group. Who did you imprint on?”

“He imprinted on some girl who just moved here. Turn’s out she’s Hunt’s granddaughter,” Paul said.

“Hunt as in the old man who runs that small hardware store?” Sam asked.

“Yup,” Embry said. “Apparently she was living off the reservation with her mom until her mom suggested they move back to help out Hunt.”

“How’s that working out?” Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s not so hard,” Jacob said. “She’s the same age as me and she’s pretty interested in cars, too.”

“Well, bring her around soon,” Sam said.

“Not likely,” Jake mumbled.

“I’m sure you want to freshen up and spend some alone time with Emily. We’ll leave the two of you alone and come back tomorrow to catch you up on some things,” Meadow informed him. Sam nodded gratefully and walked into the house with Emily.

“It’s great to have the whole pack together again,” Seth said cheerfully.

“Yeah, it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It always rubbed me the wrong way how the Cullens got off with little to no consequences for breaking the treaty. The treaty is a sacred, decade-old agreement between two supernatural beings and the Cullens basically get a slap on the wrist for breaking it. Meh.


	38. Chapter 38

Bella and Edward’s wedding was beautiful, Meadow had to admit. They had it in the back of the Cullens house with lights and flowers hanging from trees. She noticed they had invited a few of their vampiric friends, which didn’t upset her; she knew they probably would. What did upset her was that one of those vampires seemed to hold a grudge against the pack. Honestly, if the vampire’s friend didn’t want to end up ripped to pieces, he shouldn’t have tried to kill Bella.

She attended the event with Jake, her dad, Seth, and Paul. She wasn’t planning on taking Paul because she knew how he felt about the Cullens, but he didn’t want her to go without him. She had rolled her eyes at his paranoid antics but had allowed him to come, nonetheless. He was handsome in his tuxedo and she couldn’t help but admire him. Paul caught her eye and smirked at her. 

“See something you like?” he asked lewdly. 

“I do,” she admitted, surprising him. He recovered and pulled her onto the dance floor. A slow song was playing and there were a few couples on the make-shift dance floor. She scowled at him and gave him a pointed look. He sheepishly smiled at her and led them into a dance.

“You could’ve asked me,” she mumbled against his shoulder.

“I wanted to be spontaneous,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Isn’t that what girls like?”

“Some do,” Meadow said.

“Do you?” he asked as he moved them in a circular motion. Meadow let out a small laugh and sighed.

“What?” he asked. He pulled back from her to analyze her facial expressions.

“You mean you haven’t noticed?” she asked with a smile. “I don’t really like spontaneity.”

“Now that you mention it...,” he trailed off.

“I think the gestures are nice,” she assured him, “but being caught off guard isn’t my favorite emotion to feel.”

“I’ll remember that.”

She clarified and said, “It isn’t my favorite emotion, but when it’s you who causes it, I tend to let it go pretty quickly.”

Paul smiled and said, “Are you admitting that you like my little surprises?”

She hummed and smiled secretively. Paul chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. She reciprocated the action before she pulled away shyly.

“My dad’s watching,” she said uneasily. They looked to the side to see her dad watching them with a gleam in his eyes. He waved at them when he made eye contact with them, and Meadow buried her face in Paul’s neck in embarrassment. 

“Looks like your brother is looking, too,” Paul said as he gestured next to her dad. Jacob was standing there with his arms crossed and a glare on his face.

“He’s just jealous that he couldn’t bring his imprint with him,” she said slightly louder so Jake could hear her. They heard a scoff come from Jake’s mouth and allowed amusement leave their lips.

“How is he with that, anyway?” Paul asked. “He’s been pretty quiet about it in the pack link.”

“He’s making progress. Talia likes him, but she doesn’t want to take things too fast. She just moved and just met Jake,” Meadow answered.

“He talks to you about stuff a lot,” Paul commented.

“He always has,” she said nostalgically. “In a way, I’ve been his maternal parent. He was so young when mom died; he barely remembers her and the things they used to do together. And since Rebecca and Rachel left town as soon as they could, all he’s really had is me for reference.”

“So, does Talia have your approval?”

“She’s cool; maybe too cool for Jake,” she said with a giggle. “She’ll fit right in with the pack, though Jared might find her a little annoying.”

“Why’s that?” he asked curiously.

“She rambles a lot,” Meadow said shortly.

“Ah.”

They were interrupted when Edward and Bella approached them. They stopped dancing and looked at the pair warily. Thankfully, they were dancing near the edge of the floor, so Meadow beckoned Paul and the newlyweds to follow her away from the dancing guests. Paul stood in front of Meadow protectively and leveled Edward with a threatening stare.

“I hope you are enjoying the celebration,” Edward said politely.

“We are. It’s beautiful. Congratulations,” Meadow said.

“Congrats,” Paul said after Meadow nudged him in the ribs.

“Thank you,” Bella said with a small smile.

“I don’t like small talk,” Meadow said abruptly. “I never really understood it and I never understood why people hid behind while they gained enough courage to say what they actually want to say.”

Paul smirked as Edward and Bella shared a look.

“We were hoping you would reconsider your...conditions,” Edward grimaced. Meadow’s face darkened and she exuded a dark aura. The people around the quintuplet looked at them uneasily and moved away. Paul stiffened as he felt multiple vampire eyes on them.

“If you think a public setting will make me change my mind, your wrong,” Meadow said lowly.

“Meadow, please,” Bella said. She reached a hand towards the wolf, but Paul swatted her hand away.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” he growled. The way Meadow tensed put him on edge.

“Take your own advice,” Edward hissed.

“I’m fine,” Bella assured Edward. He looked down at her and nodded. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a howl in the distance. Meadow whipped her head to stare in the direction the howl came from. She recognized it as Quil’s howl. A moment later, another howl pierced the air. This time, it was Leah.

“What’s going on?” Jacob asked as he rushed over to Meadow and Paul with Seth by his side.

“It’s Quil and Leah,” Meadow said worriedly. 

“You can’t run off now,” Bella protested. “We still need to talk about the agreement.”

“What’s there to talk about?” Jake asked.

Meadow shook her head and said, “We don’t have time for this. Seth, go see what’s going on and try to help. Jake, go with him and report back to me.”

They nodded and ran off into the trees. Jake came back a minute later with a grim face,

“Quil imprinted,” he said.

“He imprinted?” Paul asked incredulously.

“Yeah, but that’s not everything,” Jake said with a grimace.

“What happened,” Meadow demanded.

“You know how Emily’s niece came down to visit?” Jake asked.

“Claire? What about her?” Meadow asked.

“She went for a walk by herself in the woods. There was a vampire and it attacked her. It didn’t bite her, but it grabbed her by the throat. Claire had a panic attack and was thrown against a tree. They had to rush her to a hospital. Apparently, she’s hemophilic,” Jake explained thoroughly.

“We gotta go,” Paul told Meadow. She agreed wholeheartedly and addressed Edward and Bella.

“This is why we don’t want you around. Don’t ask again,” Meadow said firmly. She quickly explained what happened to Billy and rushed off with Jake and Paul. As soon as they phased, they were assaulted with Quil's raging thoughts. He was freaking out and nothing anyone said was helping. Leah said something and Quil pounced on her.

_Quil, stop!_ Meadow yelled. Quil ignored her and bit into Leah's fur, causing the she-wolf to yelp. Meadow pushed herself to run faster and plowed into Quil when she reached her destination.

_Get off, Meadow_, Quil growled through his teeth.

_You need to calm down_, Meadow told him.

_You know I can't_, Quil said.

Try, Meadow gritted. You won't be allowed near Claire if you don't calm down.

_Leah-_

_I know what Leah said. She had no right to insult your imprint,_ Meadow said sternly. _I will deal with her later, but right now, you need to think about your next actions. _

Quil struggled against Meadow's body before he sagged and let out a whine.

_I couldn't get to her fast enough_, Quil said quietly. _I was tailing her. I wanted to keep her safe, but I didn't and she got hurt._

_It wasn't your fault, Quil,_ Meadow said soothingly. _I know you. You probably did everything you could to keep her safe, right? _

_I did_, Quil cried softly. His thoughts weren't clouded with revenge and anger. He was such a sweet kid and Meadow couldn't stand to see him so worked up. She moved so she wasn't towering over him anymore and he got up so he could sit beside her. He lowered his head and leaned it against her shoulder. She patted his head with hers once before she placed her head over his.

_I'll go see how Claire is doing and if she's taking any visitors_, Jake said. _If she is, I'll let you know, Quil._

_Thanks, man,_ Quil said.

_Quil, I'm sorry_, Leah said awkwardly.

_I don't want to hear it_, Quil said sharply.

_Don't be too hard on her,_ Meadow said. _You know how she feels about imprinting. _

I _don't want to hear another insult come from your mouth_, Quil said to Leah, completely ignoring Meadow.

_Go cool off_, Meadow ordered. _You can't walk into Claire's room with a hot head._

Quil took off, leaving Paul, Meadow, and Leah. Paul, who had been quiet for the entire encounter, glared at Leah.

_You really know how to push people's buttons_, Paul commented. 

_You're not helping_, Meadow told him sternly.

_All she does is mope around and act miserable_, Paul said. _She doesn't care for anyone except herself._

_Lay off!_ Leah yelled. _He's too sensitive. All I said was that she was stupid for walking off by herself._

_After she got hurt!_ Paul yelled. _Did you really think it was a good idea to say anything after Claire got attacked?_

_Enough! Both of you!_ Meadow yelled. She shook her head and started walking off. _Leah, follow me. Paul, go home. I'll catch up with you later._

_Whatever_, Paul muttered before he took off. Meadow waited until she heard footsteps behind her to continue running. She ran until she reached her house. She phased back and walked into the house. When Leah entered the house, Meadow began talking.

"I know how you feel about imprinting," Meadow began.

Leah snorted and said, "Seems like you're the only one who does."

"But that doesn't mean you can attack everyone who imprints," Meadow finished.

"I don't attack everyone who imprints!" Leah defended herself.

"You are mad at everyone who imprints. You didn't even like me when we first met because I had Paul. You didn't like Paul because he had me. You're still bitter towards Sam and Emily because of the imprint, you dogged Jake for days because he imprinted, and now you're targeting Quil."

"Your point?" Leah asked, irritated.

"My point is that you need to let it go," Meadow said. "Stop letting the hurt you felt when Sam dumped you for Emily cloud your judgment and influence your actions."

"How can I forget?" Leah asked incredulously. "He broke off our engagement for my cousin!"

"It's been over a year, Leah! You should be past the pettiness by now," Meadow said.

"Well, I'm not! It hurts, okay?" she said with a pained expression. "Sam was supposed to be the one. He was supposed to be my husband and we were supposed to live happily ever after!"

"Things don't always work out as planned," Meadow said, "but the way you handle what life throws at you matters most."

"Life has been throwing me nothing but curveballs," Leah said bitterly. "First Sam, then my dad, then I phase... I can't keep up with any of it. I haven't gotten a break and it's killing me."

"You'll imprint, Leah, and then you'll understand why it is the way it is."

"Seeing everyone so happy...," she trailed off. "I want that for myself, but I don't want to be forced to love someone. What if the person I imprint on already had a girlfriend, a fiancé, a wife, children...?"

"I understand," Meadow said as she placed a hand on Leah's shoulder. 

"You don't," Leah said with a sigh, "but thanks for trying to."

Meadow gave her a small smile and squeezed her shoulder. Leah placed her hand over Meadow's, patted it, and left the house. Meadow stared after her sadly and bit her lip. She badly wanted to help Leah, but she didn't know how to. She'd never gone through what Leah did. She'd never experienced heartbreak. She silently prayed to the spirits that they would gift Leah with someone like they gifted her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone says anything about Quil imprinting on Claire, I just want to clarify that Claire is 15 in this story. Imprinting on children seems weird, especially because if the implications around imprinting. I wanted Quil to imprint because it's cannon and I saw no problem with keeping it in the story.


	39. Chapter 39

Jacob rushed into Emily's and Sam's house with a look of utter frenzy. The pack was gathered together for a special occasion and were being their rowdy selves. Brady and Collin were in the kitchen with Emily and Sam, trying to sneak a cookie or two. Seth and Embry were outside setting up chairs while Paul and Jared were setting up tables. Leah and Quil were gradually taking the food outside, and Meadow was inside tidying up the living room.

He walked up to Meadow and greeted her breathlessly. He was wearing a nice shirt and his old cut-offs. His hair was gelled to his scalp and his feet were covered with sneakers. Meadow covered her mouth with her hand and tried not to laugh at his appearance.

"Is it that bad?" he asked.

"Just be yourself," she said. She started mussing up his hair, trying to get it back to its regular look. Spotting a smudge on his face, she licked her finger and wiped the spot off. Jake groaned and swatted her hand away.

"That was uncalled for," he said.

"I don't know why you're freaking out so much," Meadow said, completely ignoring his comment. "She's just meeting the pack."

Jacob deadpanned and gave her a pointed look. Meadow sighed and waved him off.

"I get it, but she's met Quil, Embry, Seth, Collin, and Brady already."

"That just leaves all the hard ones," he muttered. She smacked him over the head with a stray magazine before she put it back in its place.

"You've already told her about phasing and the pack. She knows what to expect. Just don't hover and don't act too protective. And if Leah says anything, please don't overreact," Meadow pleaded.

"How'd you get her and Quil on good terms, anyway?" Jake asked as he looked out the window. Leah and Quil were talking to each other like they never got into an argument in the first place.

"Lots of patrol," Meadow confessed. She plopped down on the couch and patted the seat next to her. Jake sat down on the edge of the couch and started shaking his leg. She scoffed and pulled on his collar, causing him to lean back. "I'm just glad they're talking again. Two months of awkwardness is enough for me."

"Tell me about it," Jake said. "Claire's coming over, too, right? Talia will feel better if she comes."

"Claire's coming after she's done visiting with Sue. Kim is coming over, too," Meadow replied. A new scent entered her nose, alerting her to a visitor. "Speaking of Kim, she's here."

There was a knock at the door a minute later, and Jared came barreling through the house to answer it. Meadow shook her head at his antics and stood up from the couch. Jacob grabbed her hand and stopped her. She looked back at him and waited for him to speak.

"You're still doing it today, aren't you?" he asked.

"...I'm not sure," she admitted. "What if he says no?"

Jake scoffed and said, "He won't. Trust me."

As soon as Jared and Kim entered the living room, Meadow departed from jake and greeted Kim with a short hug. She still didn't like showing affection, but she wanted Kim to feel as welcome as possible.

Five minutes later, Claire was dropped off, leaving Talia to be the last to show up ten minutes later. By that time, the small party was in full swing. Everyone was outside mingling and having fun. Meadow sat next to Paul with a plate full of food for both of them. Paul was eating most of the food, which didn't go unnoticed by Meadow. She glared at him and pulled the plate away from his reach. He whined and pulled it back towards him. He picked up a fry from the plate and held it in front of her mouth. She pursed her lips but ultimately opened her mouth so he could feed her.

Claire was standing next to Quil and watched Brady, Collin, Seth, and Embry wrestle around. When the four boys got too close to the couple, Quil growled in warning and glared. Embry rolled his eyes and Brady and Collin smiled sheepishly at him. Claire was an easy addition to the pack. Quil had been quick to explain to her what had happened because he didn't want to keep secrets from her. She had accepted it surprisingly easy and had been a regular visitor around the pack since her first introduction.

Kim was sitting in between Jared's legs on the ground. She was laughing at something stupid Jared said. Jared hugged her closer to his body and leaned in to kiss her neck. Meadow smiled at the small display of affection. Emily was sitting next to Sam, smiling softly at everything going on. Sam met Meadow's eyes and nodded his head. Meadow reciprocated the action and leaned her head against Paul's shoulder. Ever since Sam had gotten back, he'd been nothing but supportive of her. There were still times when he argued with her over her decisions, but she took it all in stride. After all, he had more experience in the position than she did. As long as he wasn't disrespecting her or trying to undermine her, she didn't care.

Jake came through the backdoor with Talia on his heels. He smiled down at her warmly and muttered something in her ear. She looked nervous and was tightly clutching Jacob's hand. Meadow handed Paul the plate and got up to greet her. As she approached her, Talia shrunk behind Jake and peeked behind his shoulder. Meadow raised an eyebrow at her actions and looked at Jake.

"Right," he said. "Talia, this is my older sister Meadow. Meadow, this is Talia, my imprint."

Meadow held out a hand and said as pleasantly as she could, "It's nice to meet you."

Talia grabbed ahold of Meadow's hand and shook it.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Talia said nervously. "Jake's told me a lot about you. Nothing bad! All good things, I promise. Well, he complains sometimes and..."

"I hope she isn't like this all the time. So annoying," Jared grumbled under his breath. Paul chuckled quietly before he saddled up next to Meadow. He introduced himself and received a lot of rambling in return. Meadow tried to keep a smile on her face, but it was getting harder and harder to. She was getting annoyed, too, and hoped Talia's rambling was just a nervous tick.

"Enjoy your time," Meadow interrupted her. She pulled Paul away and piled their plate back up with food before sitting back down.

"Not a fan?" Paul asked.

"She's nice, but she talks too much," Meadow said with a frown.

"Don't I know it," Paul muttered. He threw an arm around her shoulders and stuffed his face. Meadow grimaced at his actions and sighed. She looked around the area and noticed Talia was more comfortable around those she had already met. The girl was smiling and having fun. She fit right in with the younger wolves. Jake caught Meadow's eyes and questioned her with them. Her lips upturned and she nodded her head. Jake smiled widely and swept Talia in his arms. She giggled at his antics and gazed up at him with a familiar gleam in her eyes.

As the day waned on, the pack calmed down and settled around a campfire. They were swapping stories with each other in an attempt to catch the newcomers up on what they missed. At one point, Paul nudged Meadow and craned his head to the side. Her eyebrows knitted together as she got up to follow him. They walked off quite a ways away before Paul spun around.

"This should be a good place," he mumbled.

"What's going on Paul?" Meadow asked.

He took a deep breath and shook out his hands.

"You told me three things needed to be met before we could get back together: I had to openly support you, you needed to graduate high school, and you needed to become Alpha. Those things are met, right?" Paul asked.

She deadpanned at him and asked, "Where are you going with this?"

"Just answer the question," he said exasperatedly.

"Yes," she answered.

"And I told you three things needed to be met before we could get back together: You had to stop ignoring me, you had to introduce me to your dad as your imprint, and you had to work on not walking away every time something went wrong. Those things are met, too."

"If this is about defining our relationship, I thought we had a mutual understanding that we were back together," Meadow said defensively. She wasn't sure where Paul was going with this. It worried her that there might be some miscommunication. She couldn't understand where it was coming from, though. She thought they were okay. She stuffed her hand in her pocket and messed with something in her pocket.

"It's not that," he said. He paused and backtracked. He started rambling but stopped when he saw the look on her face. He apologized and tried again. He walked up to her and took her hands in his. He fiddled with the silver band sitting comfortably around her ring finger.

"Paul...," Meadow said quietly.

"I saved up to get you this," he said as he pulled a ring out of his pocket. "I wanted to get you something better, even if it's still not that great."

The ring had a small, round diamond in the middle of it and had a golden band instead of a silver one. Paul got down on one knee and looked up at her with loving eyes.

"I already got your dad's permission," he said sheepishly. "I know you accepted my promise ring before, but I wanted to ask you again just to be sure. I can't imagine life without you, Flower. Will you marry me?"

Meadow gazed down at Paul affectionately and kneeled on the ground with him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. She laughed unexpectedly, causing Paul to pull back and look at her incredulously. She shook her head and reached in her pocket. She pulled out a simple, golden band and showed it to him.

"I never gave you one," she explained. "I was going to get you a silver one to match mine, but I wanted to take the next step."

"You...," Paul gaped like a fish. "You're proposing to me?"

"If I say 'yes' to your question, will you say 'yes' to mine?" she asked shyly. He stared at her stupidly before he grinned and slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Yes," he said. She smiled toothily and slipped the band on his finger.

"Yes," she said. She kissed him passionately before she pulled away and hid her face in his chest. Behind her, whoops and cheers sounded and interrupted their peace. Jared pulled Paul away and started shaking him happily. Leah came up to Meadow and hugged her before congratulating her.

"I told you he'd say 'yes'," Jake said smugly.

"Whatever," she said, trying to withhold her smile.

"Wanna have a double wedding?" Sam asked with a smirk. Meadow's face scrunched up and she shook her head violently.

"We're not getting married that early," she said.

"We aren't?" Paul asked cheekily.

"I'm not ready to move in with you and your messes yet," she said playfully. Paul let out a noise of protest and threw her over his shoulder. He ran around with her laughing loudly and smacking him on his back.

"Put me down, Paul!" she yelled. He ignored her request and continued to goof around. She gave up and let him tow her around.

"Better get used to it now," he said, "because once we're married you won't be able to get away from me."

She hummed and said, "I could divorce you and marry someone else."

He stilled and said, "You wouldn't dare."

"There was this cute guy at the store the other day..."

Paul set her down and kissed her senselessly. When he pulled back for air, he said, "You'd miss me too much."

"You're right," she confessed.


	40. Epilogue

Meadow woke up at seven in the morning and yawned. Paul was still sleeping soundly next to her. His back was facing her and soft snores left his open mouth. She smiled softly at the sight and rubbed his arm twice before climbing out of bed. Her nightgown fell slightly above her ankles at the movement. She walked to the bathroom to pee before she made her way downstairs to start breakfast. She started the coffee pot and fixed up some pancakes. His favorite, she mused.

When all of the batter was cooked, she turned the stove off and walked back upstairs. She opened a door and narrowed her eyes when it squeaked. She’d have to remind Paul, once again, to fix it. She crept up to the bed and gently shook the male. She heard a groan before he turned in the bed and fell back asleep. She giggled and shook him again. He groaned again and finally opened his dark-brown eyes. She leaned over him and placed a kiss on his forehead.

“What time is it?” he asked as he rubbed his eyes with his balled-up fists.

“Time for you to wake up,” she said.

“Do I have to go to school, momma?” the male asked. He pleaded with his eyes for her to change her mind, but she wouldn’t budge.

“It’s about time you start kindergarten, Dakota,” she told him.

“I don’t want to leave you and daddy and Nina,” Dakota said.

“Don’t you want to learn things to teach to Nina?” she asked. She ran her fingers through his long black locks to soothe him. He leaned into her touch and launched himself at her. Air escaped her and a small pain shot through her body and she withheld from squeaking.

“Be careful, Kota,” she said breathlessly. “Nina isn’t ready to leave momma’s belly yet.”

“Sorry, momma,” Dakota apologized. He withdrew from her and refused to look at her. She used two of her fingers to lift his chin up and meet his sorrowful gaze.

“We’re alright. Why don’t you get dressed while I wake up your dad. Meet us downstairs, okay?”

He sluggishly threw the covers off his body and got out of bed. He grabbed the clothes set out for him off his dresser and walked to the bathroom. Meadow hummed and walked into her room to wake Paul up. She shook him four times before he woke up groggily.

“Morning,” he said tiredly.

“Morning,” she said. She kissed him and waited for him to fully wake up. He stretched and sat up in bed. He wiped at his eyes and blinked a couple of times before he stood up. Meadow admired the way his hair stuck up wildly in the air. It matched his mustache and beard, both of which were trimmed and cut per her request.

“Is Dakota up yet?” he asked as he pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt.

“He’s getting dressed in the bathroom. He’s nervous,” she commented.

“He’ll be fine,” Paul said. “Jacy is starting kindergarten, too. I’m sure Kim won’t mind if Kota walks with them.”

Once he was dressed, he hugged Meadow and slid down to the ground so that he was eye level with her stomach. He slid her nightgown up and kissed her bare belly tenderly.

“And is Nina awake, too?” he asked.

“She is. She’s kicked a few times since I woke up.”

“Two more months and we’ll get to meet our little girl,” Paul said.

“I can’t wait either,” she mused. “But seriously, Paul. Talk to Dakota. He needs reassurance.”

Paul sighed and kissed her belly one more time before he let her nightgown fall back down. He kissed her on both cheeks, her forehead, and then her lips. He left the room and Meadow heard Dakota squeal and run around. She smiled and followed after her husband. She entered the kitchen and saw Paul chasing after Dakota around the table. She watched them until Paul bumped into the table and a cup fell to the floor. Thankfully, it was plastic.

“Alright you two,” Meadow stepped in. “Sit down before you break something.”

“Dad said Jacy will be in my class. Why didn’t you tell me, momma?” Dakota accused her. She looked at him in disbelief and rolled her eyes.

“Jacy being in your class changes everything?” she questioned. She poured a cup of coffee for Paul and made a plate for Dakota.

“It changes everything!” he exclaimed. “Jacy’s my best friend! He makes everything better!”

“Told you he’d be fine,” Paul said as he sipped from his mug. Meadow hit him over the head and placed Dakota’s plate in from of him.

“My favorite,” Dakota said with a twinkle in his eyes. “Thanks, mom!”

“Hurry up and eat,” Meadow said. “You still need to brush your teeth and I still need to do your hair.”

“Can I wear my red shoes? The ones with the white stripes on them?” Dakota asked eagerly. “I want to show them to Jacy.”

“That’s why I bought them,” Paul said simply. Once Dakota was done with breakfast, he raced upstairs to brush his teeth and put on his shoes. Meadow put the dishes in the sink and gave Paul a pointed look. He sighed and started cleaning the dishes.

“I have to swing by the shop and work on a car with Jake today. The customer’s getting antsy,” Paul said.

“Tell Jake to have Talia swing by tomorrow with Ephraim. I have that toy Dakota used to play with that I think Ephraim will like. And tell Jake to have Brady come over, too. I’m sure he could use some time out of the house.”

“He’s still not coming out of the house?” Paul asked incredulously.

“You know how he feels right now,” she said sternly. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She hung her head and said, “I’m just glad Jake is letting him crash there for the time being. I should have never pushed him to tell his parents.”

“You didn’t know they would react that way. I’m sure Brady doesn’t blame you, so stop blaming yourself.”

“I just wish he would visit Elijah and forget about his parents’ views on his sexuality. I know he’s hurting from being away from Elijah for so long.”

“I’ll get him out of the house.”

“I’ll make dinner tonight since you’ll be at the shop, but you have to get breakfast and dinner tomorrow,” she said with narrowed eyes. She grabbed a rag and wiped off the kitchen table and the counters.

“What about dessert?” he leered. She scoffed and playfully hit his arm with the wet rag, leaving a wet spot on his shirt. Suddenly, Dakota raced down the stairs and bolted out the door. Meadow called out to him, and when she didn’t get a response, she looked to Paul helplessly and gestured for him to follow their six-year-old. Paul nodded his head and ran after him.

“Kim’s taking him,” Paul notified her once he got back. Meadow sighed and leaned against the counter.

“You’d think he’d wait for me to say goodbye,” she said dejectedly.

“He’s just excited,” Paul said as he hugged her from behind. She hummed and basked in his warmth. Even after they stopped phasing, their warmth never left them. They had waited five years after the Cullens left to stop phasing and start on their family. After the Cullens left, Bella and Edward came back asking for help. Apparently, Bella had gotten pregnant while she was human and the Volturi threatened to kill them. Meadow refused to help them.

A month later, the pack was confronted by the Volturi. The Volturi were wary of their existence and their similarities to creatures called Children of the Moon - actual werewolves who terrorized humans and vampires alike. They came to an agreement that as long as the pack didn’t stray from the area, the Volturi would leave them alone. Meadow saw no reason to refuse. The pack’s priority was the reservation.

Leah was the first one to give up phasing, as expected, followed by Sam and Quil. Seth waited a year after Leah to stop phasing. Brady and Collin stopped once they reached their junior year of high school. There was no need for them to continue phasing when there was no danger present. Jared, Embry, and Jake waited until Paul and Meadow were ready to give up phasing and start growing their family. It was about time for them to stop anyway. There hadn’t been a vampire in the area for months before they called it quits.

“Leah’s coming over today,” she warned him. “She wants me to meet her boyfriend.”

“She finally met someone who can put up with her?” Paul asked.

“Be nice,” Meadow reprimanded him. “She’s happy.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior,” he promised. “We need to invite the pack over again sometime. I miss everyone.”

“Me, too,” she admitted. “Everyone’s been so busy lately.”

“We’ll have to tell them in advance. Quil, Collin, and Embry are gonna have to travel from the Makah reservation,” Paul reminded her.

“I still can’t believe Collin and Embry moved there.”

“Well, they didn’t imprint before they stopped phasing. Embry wanted to move back with his mom and Collin really liked Gabriella at the time,” Paul said. “They’re still together, right?”

“Yeah. He proposed to her a week ago. She called me to tell me the big news,” Meadow informed him. She grabbed the now clean pan and dried it off to put it away. Paul stopped her from bending over and put it away for her.

“Seth finally got a girlfriend,” Paul said.

“Really? He finally asked her on a date?” Meadow asked, astonished.

“Yeah. Jake told me all about it yesterday. Poor kid was a mess,” Paul snorted. He closed the cupboard after putting away the last dish.

“Where’s he taking her?”

“To dinner and the movies. I told him to take her to a scary movie,” he said with a smirk.

“Of course you did,” she said exasperatedly. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed at its length. It had grown to her waist and was heavy on her head. She muttered something about having it cut and walked upstairs to get dressed for the day. Paul followed her, hovering and making sure she didn’t hurt herself. She rolled her eyes but knew it was coming. He was way worse when she was pregnant with Dakota. She had to chew into him to make him back off at least a little. The phone rang downstairs, causing Paul to sigh.

“I’ll get it,” he muttered. He left the room, which allowed Meadow to get dressed without any distractions. She opted for wearing one of her maternity dresses and a pair of comfy shoes. She brushed out her hair and braided it. She wrapped the braid in a bun and pinned the end of it with a few bobby pins.

“Who was it?” she asked as Paul walked into the room.

“It was Sam. I told him you could watch Mika while Emily runs some errands,” he said sheepishly. She waved him off and dug through her small jewelry drawer to put on her wedding ring.

“That’s fine,” she said. “I wanted to see her and I’m sure Leah will want to see her, too.”

Paul grabbed his shoes and sat on the bed to put them on. He stood up and pulled Meadow in for a kiss. He hugged her tightly and placed a hand on her stomach.

“I’m gonna head out,” he said. “I love you, Flower. Be careful while I’m gone.”

“I can take care of myself, Paul,” she said. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to everyone who read this story and stuck with it! I didn't think I would be this sad to close Meadow and Paul's story, but I am. Writing Meadow's journey was a blast and I have honestly never had as much fun writing for any other story. I hope you all enjoyed her story! 
> 
> I'm currently working on a new Twilight story for Alec! I want to focus on my Naruto story for a bit and get some more chapters down for the new story, so I probably won't post it for a while. I'm thinking of posting it at the beginning of August, but don't take my word for it. I tend to jump the gun and post before I should. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you, again, for all the love, comments, and likes. All of you are amazing and I can't wait for you all to read my new story!


End file.
